A Little Canister of Storms
by LuisLass
Summary: Three years after Cabba's and Caulifla's wedding day, their story continues not only as warriors but also as parents. With new things being set in motion by an unkown group, the entire universe 6 is about to change, specially for the Saiyans of Sadala. . A sequel to my story (A Fight to Find the Saiyan Honor), a fair warning at the start of chapter 1.
1. Chapter 1 - Just Look, Don't Touch

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes:** _This story is a Sequel to my first Story: _**A Fight to Find The saiyan Honor_. _**I recommend reading that one first, or a lot of things will be strange or difficult to understand.

_I didn't thought that I would return to this story (or the same story universe), but I just got so many ideas, that I could not help myself, so here we are._

_Like I put on the description, this is a sequel to my first fiction, but this one is going to be a bit more centered at Janola and Coorin, and few others side characters. Of course Cabba, Caulifla, Kale and Asparus are going to show up, quite a lot too, but this is not a story focused on them, so don't get upset when they don't show a lot in some chapters._

_**A fair warning to anyone reading this, this story will contain Yaoi - Two men in love with each other, if you don't like this type of romance, I recommend that you don't read this one, because it will probably upset you and it will not be an enjoyable reading. **_

Well, with all that being said, let's start this one. I hope you guys enjoy it and that is on par with the last one I did.

* * *

The entire first unit of Elite Saiyan Soldiers has gathered inside the war room in Sadala's royal palace. Each soldier has a special seat to them, large padded chairs adorned with gold and fancy details, all carefully positioned around a large metal table. On the northernmost part of the big room, lies a large office wooden desk, with an even larger and fancier chair behind it, the special little spot reserved for the Saiyan ruler.

At the moment, the Saiyan king is walking around the large table, slowly and patiently taking his steps behind his soldiers. And each one of said soldiers is paying close attention to their majesty speech, well everyone but one. A Saiyan of large build with a very distinguished style of hair with a mix of black and red color is resting his forehead against the metallic surface of the large table, his mind so engrossed in his deep sleep that his body is almost falling completely on top of the furniture in front of him.

"Soldier, are you paying attention to what I'm saying?" The Saiyan king said with a perplexed expression. He eyed another soldier with a confused look, to which the soldier just shrugged it off, doing his best to not giggle. "Soldier!" With a forceful push on the sleeping man's shoulder, the Saiyan royalty called out to him again.

"Coorin… Just give me a few minutes." Janola mumbled in his sleep, clicking his tongue with a bit of annoyance.

A loud noise echoed around the room, a heavy fist exploded down on the table's surface making the sleepy head jump in surprise and shock. "Oh, sorry did I disturb you?" Asparus said with a mocking voice, but his face is not showing a very friendly or happy expression.

Janola's eyes widened, he frantically adjusted himself in his seat while avoiding his king's piercing glare. "Sorry, your majesty. I don't know what happened."

"Can you hold yourself awake and present for a few minutes?" With a commanding voice, the king asked his vassal and quickly received an answer in a form of an energetic nod from the soldier. "Good, now pay attention if you please."

With that, Asparus went back to his speech, his eyes going back and forward between Janola and the others, he wants to make sure that the large soldier is not going to fall asleep again. Something that is pretty much impossible now, Janola is fidgeting nervously, feeling ever so small under the gaze and mocking smile of his comrades. He raised his head just a bit, his gaze wandering towards the seat across from him. His eyes landed on Cabba, the leader of Sadala's elite soldiers and a childhood friend of his, much to Janola's dismay even Cabba is smiling and shaking his head in disapproval. And all while a certain smaller soldier is giggling way too much at the situation, to the point of getting the king's attention and warning glares aiming toward him.

"And not only that, but I got a report from one of our units, that a strangely high number of criminals and shady characters are joining together in a single planet." Asparus continued with the file report.

"Is there even a reason for us to worry?" A soldier raised his hand as he asked. "I mean, we are the strongest army in the universe. If they try anything, we can just crush them."

"I hadn't thought of that. Why, yes. Let us just wait for them to come here and then we can crush them. It will save us the trip, right?" And Asparus's dangerous sarcastic done came back to him, something that a few of these soldiers are familiar with. "Forget the fact that they will not fight honorably or that they can attack innocent people while we seat on our asses!"

"Forget that I said anything…" The soldier cringed inside his seat. "I was just thinking out loud."

The other soldiers grinned as their comrade pouted like a little child on his seat, once again a playful mood set on the room even if the situation is pretty serious and dire. The ace of Sadala raised his hand, he is the most composed one, getting the attention of everyone else.

"Do you have a plan or course of action?" Cabba asked his king, with a serious voice.

"At the moment, I don't even know the place where those criminals are hiding." Asparus sighed, taking a hand to his aching forehead. "To make matters worse, we don't even know who is behind this situation."

"You want us to travel out there on space looking for this group?" Coorin asked. The smallest elite soldier shifted around in his seat, placing both arms on the table.

"No, and don't get any ideas in your head. It would be too dangerous to go aimlessly after them." Asparus replied shooting a piercing glare at Coorin. "What I want from you is something else." He spared a little glance at every soldier in front of him. "You all are the strongest and most clever Saiyans on Sadala. And now is the time for you to use your brains not your muscles."

"So, what are your orders, your majesty?" A Female soldier raised her voice for the first time.

"Gather any clues; talk with people that have a not so presentable reputation, keep your eyes open for anything out of ordinary." Asparus answered her question with a tired sigh. "Do your best, but don't put yourself on risk. That is all that I will ask."

"Oh boy… Here we go again, huh?' A thin and small male soldier said with a sad nod. This man while very small is not smaller or thinner than Coorin, who still holds the title of most fragile looking soldier, even with a lot of female soldier joining the ranks of the elite force these past years. "Why are there so many shit people out there? Can't they stay a few years without planning anything evil?"

"Don't bitch about it, Aonori!" A large woman with a chirp smirk practically yelled her words out. "Weren't you complaining that we got so few good battles this last month? Rejoice, a few dumbass have offered themselves to get trashed."

"Stop shouting, Cavasa…" The soldier known as Aonori slammed his face on the surface of the table, another sigh escaping his lips. "Ah… another grueling mission."

"I think is about time we finish this meeting." Asparus rolled his eyes as more and more soldier began to argue with one another. "If any of you still have any questions or for some reason didn't hear what I reported." He threw a glare at Janola. "Just ask for a copy of the files at the intelligence sector. With that said, you are dismissed."

Like a group of impatient teens, a large number of the soldier jumped from their seats walking ever so fast toward the exit.

"Cabba please wait here. I want to talk with you alone." Asparus intervened before his friend could leave.

Cabba looked at his king with sad eyes, his shoulder deflated as he slumped down to his chair once again. "I don't know why, but I can already tell that I will get yelled at by Caulifla because of this."

"Haha, good luck friend." Coorin patted the top of Cabba's head as he passes behind his chair. Janola soon followed his partner, with a silent nod he smiled sadly; feeling bad for leaving his friend behind in what will probably turn out to be a special assignment by Asparus.

Janola and Coorin were the last two to walk out of the war room, closing the large wooden door behind them, leaving Cabba and Asparus to their privacy.

Janola felt a light tug on his shirt, soft giggles coming just after. He stopped in his tracks, still standing in front of the large door; he eyed his slim partner and noticed a mischievous grin on the man's lips.

"What are you grinning about?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"I can't believe you slept in front of everybody." Coorin snorted a short laugh. "You had to see the king's face when he heard you snoring."

The large man felt a burning blush appear on his cheeks. "I didn't get much sleep last night… I should probably apologize to him later." He poked his left sideburn with two fingers, in an attempt to brush his embarrassment away.

"He probably didn't mind it, you know how Asparus is. A bit grumpy at times and has a sharp tongue, but he is a good guy." Coorin smiled genuinely, and then waved one finger in front of him, like a teacher lecturing a naughty student. "Just don't make this a habit or I will get yelled at too."

"I wouldn't dream of doing something that will prejudice you." Janola responded, his words making his partner nod and smile even more. A feeling of longing taking over Janola's chest, he simply couldn't take his eyes away from Coorin features. One of his hands moved as it had a will of its own, reaching in closer and closer to Coorin's right cheek.

"Hey, stop." Coorin slapped Janola's hand away; it was not a strong hit, but with enough force to make his hand retreat. The small but fierce Saiyan opened his mouth to reprimand the other, but his fiery gaze cooled down after he noticed the hurt expression on Janola's face. "Janola… you know that we can't do that kind of stuff. Not here on Sadala."

"Sorry." Janola said with a low voice. "My hand just moved on its own."

"I'm also sorry, for slapping you, but… not here." Coorin showed a short smile in the corner of his mouth. He stepped forward and punched Janola softly on his left arm. "Let's forget about that for now. How about we get something to eat?"

"That would be… good." Janola responded with a warm little smile.

"Great! And while we are at it, we can decide where we should go." Coorin pointed to the hallway, with short steps he started to walk away from the room behind them. "You see, I remember this shady little guy who owes me for something I helped him with. Maybe that would be a good start." He immediately began to ramble about his plans and all that. Sadly, Janola was definitely not paying any attention to a word he was saying.

Janola promised his partner that he would not do anything that would reveal their true relationship to bystanders. But this promise cannot control his mind or his heart, both working in union with a sole objective of making the soldier stare at Coorin's features and internally sigh for not being able to touch him. With that predicament on his hands, Janola quietly followed Coorin out of the palace into the lively streets of the capital city.

* * *

With the first moonlight gracing the sky of Sadala's capital, Cabba finally got away from what seemed an especially tiring day at work. He landed in front of his house with his feet softly touching the ground making no noise whatsoever, and the only sound slightly betraying his presence being the grocery bag shuffling in his hands. Cabba made sure to come back home prepared with the most efficient weapon, he wouldn't dream of sharing the 'oh so exciting' news with his wife without first presenting to her the most prized desert that she loves so much.

"I'm home." Cabba took his boots out, leaving them on the entryway. The tired soldier walked in and the absence of sounds making him a bit curious, as normally he would have head Caulifla shouting his name way before he could enter the main hallway.

"Caulifla?" Cabba called out to his wife, he held his voice in a lower tone wary that someone may be sleeping right now. After he reached the large living room on the left side of the first floor, Cabba crashed down on his favorite armchair, feeling the fatigue on his body sipping away his energy. "Did she go for a walk?" He pondered by himself.

Within moments, Cabba felt his eyes shutting down and him starting to dozing off. Then a sudden noise made him straight himself on his seat.

"Baaahh." A baby voice got the soldier's attention, he glanced upwards and saw a little baby girl floating right above him while waving her arms in his directions.

"We got you!" Caulifla said giggling. She is floating upside down a bit higher up, her arms stretched all the way down, holding her baby in the air.

"You sure did, I wasn't expecting the cutest girl to fall out of the ceiling." Cabba responded to her with the brightest smile he has ever shown someone.

"Is this cute girl… me?" Caulifla looked at him with a faint blush. She turned did a little flip in the air and slowly descend on top of Cabba's lap.

"Of course I'm talking about my little girl here." He gently took the little girl in his arms, making the baby squeal happily feeling her father's warm embrace. "Hey there Corabi. How are you? Did you have a great time with mommy today?"

"Bahh, Gaahh." Corabi wiggled happily in Cabba's arms, she raised one arm up trying to hit his chin with her tiny hand.

"I can't believe that I lost my place to my own daughter…" Caulifla said sadly, she got up from her improvised seat and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You betrayed me, Cora… I trusted you."

Corabi eyed her mother and then squealed carefree, waving one hand at her.

"Don't be like that. Cora is my cute girl, but you are my beautiful wife." Cabba motioned with his left hand, calling Caulifla closer to him. She did just that, leaning in closer to him and placing her lips on his. They shared a short but very warm and passionate kiss. Their daughter waving both hands up, trying to reach for their chins.

"This is more what I like." Caulifla said as she parted away from him.

"Speaking of things that you like." Cabba said with a suspicious looking grin. "Take a look at the bag." He pointed at the bag lying down on the floor.

"What is it?" Caulifla quickly took the bag on her hands and began looking inside of it. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, she then pulled a little transparent case with a red and tasty looking slice of a cake inside of it. "You got one for me… Thank you!" She opened the container just a little, the sweet fragrance of the dessert making the enamored woman close her eyes in bliss.

"You liked my surprise?" Cabba asked.

"I loved it." Caulifla leaned in closer once again, pulling him into another kiss. "I may go as far and say that you deserve a little something for this kind gift." She purred in a provocative manner, blowing softly on his neck.

"Well, now that you suggested it. I may or may not have something that is going to need this goodwill of yours." Cabba said with a snide grin, knowing that said goodwill soon vanishes to nowhere.

"By the look on your face, I can tell that is not something that I will like, is it?" Caulifla sighed and took a seat in a chair close to Cabba. "What is it? Spit it out."

"We got a bit of a problem, a tricky one to be more specific. This got all the force worked up about it, we even called back most of the elite soldiers." Cabba noticed the look on her face that translated to 'Hurry up and cut the crap.' He let out a nervous little laughed and then continued. "Asparus wants me to go look into something with him. We will probably spend a whole week out there." Cabba closed his eyes and raised Corabi in front of him, hiding his face behind the tiny girl.

Thinking that he is playing with her, Corabi raised her arms up, grabbing some strands of his hair.

Caulifla let out a heavy sigh. "When are you leaving?" She asked calmly.

Cabba opened his eyes and looked at her with a silly confused expression. "That's it? No yelling?" He asked shocked.

"Oh, I want to yell. Better yet, I want to shout so loud that I would blow your head off. But that will not change anything, will it?" She glared at him not really angry but annoyed at the news. "So, all that is left is to eat my delicious cake and pout." And just like that, she opened the little plastic case and took a piece of the cake with her bare hands, tossing it upwards to her open mouth.

"I knew the cake would work." Cabba laughed triumphantly, his energetic reaction making his daughter laugh together with him.

"Yeah, yeah. Count your victories while you can." She took another bite of her dessert and closed the little case again. "When are you leaving?" She asked again.

"Tomorrow at morning. He wants to deal with this before it gets out of hand." He replied.

"Then we still have the whole night to monopolize you. Right, Cora?" Caulifla robed the little baby of Cabba's arms and did a quick spin. Her daughter squealing and laughing non-stop. "Daddy is a dumb-dumb, right." She kissed Cora's forehead and looked at Cabba with a loving glance.

Cabba watched his wife and daughter playing and laughing, a warm and happy feeling overflowed his chest. His eyes gliding on Caulifla's form, her amazing and entrancing form. He can't still believe that it has been only a few months since she gave birth to Corabi, how can he get in shape so fast, is something that he would never understand.

"What is up with that silly grin that you have?" Caulifla asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I love you." He said with a straight face, much to Caulifla's surprise.

With a faint blush showing up on her face, Caulifla smiled. "We love you too." She replied, grabbing one of Corabi's hands and waving it to Cabba.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Coorin asked curiously.

"Reading the report files." Janola responded with disinterest.

Coorin eyed his partner with a frown; he waved his legs around clearly bored from doing nothing and being ignored by the other Saiyan. It's very rare for Janola to ignore Coorin or just don't amuse him in his small talks, well their apartment is very small, with only three rooms for two people, and that makes ignoring each other very difficult. However, in Janola's case, the size of their house hardly matters in this situation.

"Are you angry with me?" Coorin asked with mellow voice.

"No, I'm not." Janola glanced back, giving a spare look to Coorin and then focused on the papers in his hands once again.

"You sound angry." Coorin continued. The small Saiyan moved away from the soft couch, standing right behind Janola. Moving carefully to not startle the other man, he kneeled close to Janola and slid his arms in, wrapping them around the soldier's large body.

"I thought we shouldn't do this type of stuff on Sadala." Janola said with a harsh tone, his eyes clearly showing a bit of annoyance.

"Hugging is fine." Coorin responded back. He pressed his forehead on Janola's back and sighed. "You know that I didn't mean to push you away."

"I know and I'm not angry." Janola dropped the papers on the ground and turned to look at Coorin. "I'm just frustrated. You would think that the best place for us to be is at home. But we can be together at home… so, what is the point?"

"You prefer to go around the street smooching and all that?" Coorin looked at him and tilted his head. "Do that and you lose all respect from everyone from the force."

"I don't care." Janola said with a hiss. "We work so hard, we fight for peace just like or even more than them. We don't deserve to be happy too?"

"And aren't you happy?" Coorin tightened his grasp around Janola, his face got so close to his partner's back, that he can hear the fast heartbeats coming from him.

"No, when I have to spend most of my days avoiding touching you or even showing affection." Feeling silly for lashing out on the most important to him, Janola sighed and returned Coorin's embrace. "Don't mind my grumpy mood, I'm just tired today."

"Want to hit the sack? We have to get up early tomorrow." Coorin parted away from his lover and grabbed one of his arms.

"Can I stay on the left side today?" Janola asked with a childish look in his eyes.

"Give up Janola. That is my side and that is that." Coorin gave him a mischievous smirk. "But if you get really close it will be like we are sharing the left side."

"That… I can do." It was not what he wanted, but is close enough. Janola noticed that Coorin is being strangely affectionate today, something rare for someone that dislikes being lovey-dovey. Maybe he can get away with more than just sharing a bed with him tonight.

* * *

"Here, drink this." Arula handed Kale a cup of water. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine now, thank you, mother." Kale took a sip from her cup and smiled sweetly. "I think the worst has passed."

"This is the third time today, right?" The Queen-mother eyed her daughter-in-law with a worried look. Kale nodded her response, which confirmed what the older woman already knew. "Does Asparus know?"

"No. I didn't tell him about my frequent seasickness." Kale said with an apologetic look. "I wasn't sure what he would think."

"Don't be silly, the boy will probably cry with so much joy. Suddenly Arula's lips parted in her trademark playful grin. "Why don't we keep this a secret from his for a bit more time?"

"Ah… I don't know, mother." Kale knows very well that sometimes Arula likes to take her fun plans a bit too far. She tried to refuse, but before she could say anything, the large doors of her bedroom creaked open.

"Good night to you." Asparus said with a warm smile. "It's so good to see my two favorite Saiyans in one place."

A ball of blue energy flew from Arula's hand, hitting her son square on his face. The force of the ki blast shoving the Saiyan king out of the room.

"What the hell?" Asparus shouted confused. He wiped the smoke away from his eyes and tried to enter his bedroom again, but before he could even touch the metal handle, Arula rushed like lighting and pushed the doors close. "Mother?" Asparus asked even more confused. "What are you doing?"

"You are prohibited from entered Kale's room." Arula shouted from the other side of the doors.

"Wait, What?!" Asparus tried to open the door again, just to find out that it is locked from the inside. "Mother this is not funny. Please open the door." He stared at the door perplexed and irritated. When it got clear that his mother would not open the door to his room, his mood went from surprised to full annoyed. "Then where I'm supposed to sleep? That is my bedroom too!"

"Go sleep with your father!" Arula shot back. "And while you are there, tell him that I'm going to sleep with Kale today."

"Once again. WHAT?!" Asparus shouted so loud that even the doors trembled at the sound. "Kale, please let me in."

For a moment, the king got no response only a cold silence coming from inside the room. Then Kale approached the door and said with a low voice. "Sorry, Asparus… I will explain to you later."

"By the gods, what is up with you two?" He shook his head and gave up on the idea of sleeping on his bed tonight. He scratched his aching scar and glared at the door. "You people need to stop throwing things at my face. It's not funny." After one last uproar, he turned and stomped his way down the hallway.

"Maybe that was too much?" Kale said with a worried expression.

"Don't worry, Asparus can't take a little ki blast on the face. He does it all the time." Arula laughed way to energetic at her son's misfortune with energy waves hitting his head. "Let's make this right, we can't just turn up and tell him that you are pregnant." The Queen-mother rubbed her hands together, already thinking of the most exaggerated and exciting surprise she can come up with. "It will be fun, trust me."

Kale responded with a little awkward smile, she doesn't mind indulging Arula on her crazy schemes, but she feels bad for throwing Asparus out of their bedroom. However, now it's too late for going after him, at this point she can just pray that her husband can find a warm and cozy place to spend his night.

* * *

**_Well this was the pilot chapter I came up with to start this new fiction, I hope you enjoyed it. Like I said at the start, got loads of ideas for this story and I'm excited to share it with you guys._**

**_Now for a bit of trivia, I will leave a few details right bellow for your satisfaction. ;)_**

_Corabi comes from the name Kohlrabi (also known as Cabbage Turnip). I really liked this name and I think suits the baby very well._

_Aonori__well this one is just the real name of the vegetable, I know, is not very creative, but I liked the sound of it._

_Cavasa this one is easy, is just Cassava in a different order and minus a S. _


	2. Chapter 2 - Half of Something

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes: **_Hey, it's the second chapter of this story, I wonder if you guys are liking this story too. Well, let's start the chapter, shall we?_

* * *

At the earliest hour of the morning, so few soldiers are standing in their station. Making the usual very busy and noisy working ground that is the Palace outer and lower floors, a peaceful and somewhat lonely place. Choosing to departure on his assignment in the peace of silence, Cabba arrived with two others following him.

"How long this trip is going to take?" Caulifla asked Cabba with a mildly uncomfortable voice.

"Not very long I hope." Cabba responded with a weak grin. "If Asparus doesn't get distracted with something, we can probably get back in one day."

Caulifla sighed lowly; she glanced down to Corabi and smiled just form seeing the little baby peaceful face. "I still don't get why both of you need to go. Isn't a bit of overkill or perhaps he is trying to kill someone?"

Cabba shrugged and shook his head showing that he had no clue of his king's motives.

"I was the one that talked him into taking Cabba." A low and yet very firm voice sounded from behind Cabba. A Saiyan soldier with a stoic expression appeared from behind one of the giant pillars on the Palace entrance.

Cabba's face features lightened up at the sight of this soldier and even Caulifla, who so rarely is friendly towards other soldiers, smirked after noticing the young man. Corabi, on the other hand, began to squeal happily and wiggle wildly on her mother's arms after looking at him.

"Isn't this a bit early for you to be at work, Lettu?" Cabba asked more to make fun of his brother than anything else. Something that always works flawlessly seeing how Lettu glare at him every time.

"Someone has to keep this place safe and since you are not doing that…" He shot another glare at his brother, but quickly dismissed Cabba's playful smirk. Instead, the young soldier walked over to Caulifla and took his little niece on his arms, much to Corabi's joy. No one can explain why, but the young baby Saiyan has a great attachment to her uncle and when he is around no one else can take her attention away from him.

"So you are at fault for taking my husband away!" Caulifla smacked the back of her hand softly on Lettu's forehead, making him frown. "Why do you need Cabba anyway? Is wimp getting weak on his legs or something?"

"Caulifla how many times I have to warn you to not talk about OUR king like that?" Lettu looked at her in distress, a defeated sigh escaping his mouth. "Even if you are his friend, people are still going to create uproar because of it."

"Don't know, don't care." Caulifla crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked away from her little brother-in-law.

"You never do…" Lettu spat the words back at her. "Anyway, to clear away your confusion about this matter. I advised King Sadala to take Cabba with him to make this a clear and fast business, with no need to start anything of which we don't need." Saying this he eyed at his brother with suspicious eyes.

In response, Cabba raised both hands in front of him and raised an eyebrow. "That was not my fault."

"You can say that again, mister explodes a giant warship without warning anyone." The young soldier shook his head again, with another sigh escaping his lips. Without notice, Lettu is starting to get a habit of sighing in disapproval whatever he talks with someone.

"Sorry, but I'm getting tired of being lectured by my second father." Caulifla looked at Lettu and rolled her eyes over. She loves the boy as if he was her real brother, but sometimes he can seriously tick her off. "Can you take us to see you adored son with a crown?"

"As you wish." Without much to say back at her, Lettu turned around and walked away towards a large hallway. The sounds of his fast steps accompanied only by Corabi's voice as she talked in her way with her uncle.

"Now he is angry." Cabba said with a sorry grin.

"When he is not angry?" Caulifla said back. "He needs to find a girlfriend or something. I never saw someone so serious all the time."

"He is just eager, and you are at fault for that a bit." In a slow pace, Cabba began to follow after his brother putting both hands behind his head.

"How so?" Caulifla asked, walking beside her husband.

"He wants to be strong like you, and that is his way of doing that."

"Nagging all the time?" She asked incredulously.

"Yep, nagging all the time." He said back with a wide grin.

After a little trip inside the palace grounds, the easygoing couple made their way to the third floor. They found Lettu playing quietly with Corabi in front of a closed metal door; it is a strange sight to see. All the time Lettu behaves like a perpetually annoyed old man, making it easy to forget that he is only seventeen, but seeing his smiling and squealing together with his baby niece is a soft reminder of his own innocence.

"Oh, how cute." Caulifla said with a mocking voice. Her words startled the young Saiyan, making him jump and stop waving his fingers in front of Corabi. "Please, don't stop because of us."

Cabba grabbed his wife shoulder with one hand and gave her a look that translates to something like; 'just give the boy a break'. "He is here?" Cabba asked his brother after walking pass Caulifla.

"Yeah… he is." Lettu replied, a slightly red of line still showing on his cheeks. "And look, I don't know what happened, but you better be prepared."

"What you mean?" Cabba tilted his head not sure of what his brother is talking. As Lettu kept his mouth shut just playing quietly with his niece, Cabba dismissed whatever Lettu was going on about and headed over to the door. With a slow motion, he pushed the door opened just to catch his king, the sovereign of Sadala, laying on a hard chair, his head leaning backward, eyes shut close and his mouth open.

"What the hell…" Caulifla could not hold the words inside her mouth as she witnessed the scene.

Like furious thunder echoing in the room, loud snores escaping his mouth as he breathes heavily in his sleep. His tiredness is explicit by how much he is snoring, and by how he is laying on as he sits on his very uncomfortable wooden chair.

Cabba looked at Lettu searching for an answer for this… situation. His brother only shrugged off and changed his attention back to Cora. "Asparus? Hey, Asparus." Cabba placed one hand on his friend's shoulder and shook him with not much force.

In a jolt of his body, the young king jumped from his seat with his eyes wide open. "Wha- What?! Oh, it's you." Asparus stretched out his aching body, loud cracks sounding as he raised both arms and straightened his back. "Just give me some time… I will take a shower and meet you at the hangar."

"Wait a minute. What the hell happened to you?" Caulifla stopped in front of the door, preventing him from leaving. "Did Kale kicked you out of the bed?"

"More like blasted in the face out of my room." Asparus responded with complaining grumpy sounds. "And before you ask, I didn't do anything to her." The young king passed by the curious Saiyan woman, walking out of the room with a sleepy looking face. "Oh, hi there little girl." He stopped in his tracks just to kneel in front of Lettu and wave his hand to Corabi, the little girl squealed happily to him and raised her hands trying to reach for his fingers.

After spending a few seconds greet the little girl, the mighty Saiyan King stood up and walked away, complaining away as he held one hand to his back.

"That is the wrong way!" Lettu warned his king, his voice coming loudly as it could on the open hallway.

"I will not go back to that place." Asparus said referring to his bedroom. "I will just get some clothes in the armory and take a shower somewhere else. Kale and mother can have that part of the palace all to them, see if I care." With a grumpy puff, he turned his gaze away, back to the long hallway in front of him.

"To me looks like he cares." Caulifla stared as the young king walked away, stomping furiously as he did. "You know something about this Lettu?"

"No, but Queen-mother Arula can be a bit… eccentric at times. She probably forced lady Kale to do something that annoyed the king." The young soldier let a sigh escape again. "With all respect, but that woman can be more mischievous than a child."

"Even with all we have to deal with, he still has to endure strange pranks from his own mother?" Cabba took one hand to his cheek, scratching his skin in an automatic action that he always does when bothered by something. "I feel bad for the guy."

"Good day your majesty." An oblivious looking soldier appeared from the opposite side and greeted Asparus with a warm smile. "Woah, my king I ask you to pardon my words. But you are looking like crap." A loud snap followed the man's words, together with a girly scream from him. "I'm sorry, ow, ouch. Please stop twitching my arm."

* * *

"Where are we?" Janola whispered his question, hiding his mouth with the back of his hand. The Saiyan soldier shifted his gaze to his surrounding just to see various suspicious eyes staring at them from afar.

Coorin gave a side glance to his partner, shaking his head in disapproval. Yet the smaller Saiyan could not hide the amused grin on his lips as he watched Janola glaring at every corner around them as if something would jump out of a dark alley. "Relax for a moment, is not like you never traveled to an illegal trading space station before."

The pair of Saiyans have chosen to leave behind their uniform from the defense force, instead opting for using clothes more fitting for the situation. Coorin is wearing a long black shirt with a set of dark gray pants, with boots of darker shade completing his outfit. Janola changed his uniform for a long sleeved dark blue shirt and even darker blue pants with a pair of dark red and black shoes, topping all off with his usual white long coat.

"For a matter of fact, I've never done that." Janola replied without taking his eyes away from a group of strangers ahead of them. "Surprises me that you have done such a thing."

"What kind of elite soldier doesn't mingle with the scumbags and questionable individuals of the universe?" Feeling very frisk, Coorin turned over and while looking at Janola, he began to walk backward without a care in the world.

"The kind that likes to stay alive." Janola pushed his partner arm, making him face the proper way. "Why are we here?" For a moment the taller soldier saw at the corner of his eye a shadowy figure smirk as it stared at them. In a defensive instinct, he turned abruptly to his right, hand ready to blast whoever was stalking them.

"Janola you seriously need to pipe down. You gonna burst a vein or something with that much stress." Coorin noticed a familiar sign come into view, the Saiyan speed up his pace and pointed to the front of a little shady store. "See that place? That is why we are here." He said with a quick look to his nervous partner.

"What now?" Janola said, still throwing a few glances behind him.

"For starters? Shut up and look menacing." Coorin pointed at Janola's face with two fingers. "I will handle the talking, I don't need you messing everything up."

"Thanks…" The tall man looked away from his partner, an annoyed expression popping up on his features.

"No offense, but you are way too worked up to convince someone of anything." Coorin snapped two fingers, his expression giving away a feeling that he just thought of the most genius idea. "If you really wanna help. Just glare at the guy and make a few angry noises when you think that he is trying to walk away."

"That I can do." Janola looked back to Coorin and nodded his head. Even if he tries to stay mad at his partner, is hard to do when the cute looking soldier stares at him with his black sweet eyes.

"Good." Coorin smiled one last time to Janola before shifting his attention back to the old rusty door in front of him. Putting a lot of force in both arms, he shoved the metallic object out of the way opening the way to inside the little building.

As both Saiyans stepped inside, a very tall and thin man with light grey skin and sparkling bald head rushed out, of looks like a bathroom, and greeted them warmly, showing a wide smile with few teeth missing leaving blank spaces on their spot. The owner of this questionable shop is using a loose black garment with its left sleeve dangling freely on the air. "Welcome, welcome. With what I can help you two today?" The man's good-natured mood quickly disappeared as he recognized one of the soldiers walking in. "Bah, it's you again. What ya want?"

"Hey Sven, is that any way of treating an old friend of yours?" Coorin said with a cocky grin.

"I don't have any memories of befriending you." The man known as Sven glared at the Saiyan. His large, long and round nose making a loud noise as he sniffed away. As a familiar and distasteful scent make itself present again, the shop owner frowned and spat at the ground. "Who is this guy behind you? He doesn't have the same smell as you do."

"Oi, are you insinuating that I stink?" Coorin shot a warning glare at the pale and very tall man, making him stumble towards the closest wall.

"Is not just you, your entire race smells of the same thing… trouble." Sven replied trying to get his composure back. "So, who is the guy?" He looked at Janola, curiously watching him. "He has no tongue?"

Coorin's raging expression eased as the topic changed, he looked at Janola and smack the back of his right hand at the tall man's chest. "I found this guy to help me out with a job. He doesn't speak much, instead, he likes to smash the head of smartasses." The small Saiyan took two steps forward and hid his mouth from Janola using one of his hands. "I don't think he is very well on the head if you catch what I mean."

An exasperated grump escaped the tall Saiyan's mouth, he clearly could hear Coorin's rambling to the shady seller and the topic is pleasing him very much. He noticed the curious eyes of the grey-skinned man land on him again, now with a tingle of fear in them. Taking this as his cue to act like Coorin asked him, with that he rolled his eyes in annoyance letting another grumpy grunt fly away and then his hand smashed against the nearby wall, making a few of the items on display fall down to the dirty floor.

"Hey, keep your dog on the leash, will ya?" As Sven said and another angry grunt came from Janola, the shop keeper raised both hands in a peace offering. "Why did you bring that one in?" He said low enough for just the man in front of him be able to hear.

"In case you try anything funny and don't cooperate with me." Coorin walked away from Sven, casually taking a seat on an old looking padded chair that is laying around a corner. "But of course, you are not doing that, right Sven? If you just talk to me, he will have no need to bash your nose inside your skull."

"Last time I got myself involved with a Saiyan, I lost an arm." Sven raised the little stump that used to be his left arm. "I'm fine, thank you."

"No need to be all negative like that. Listen, I just need a few information and then I will be out of your respectable establishment." Coorin now practically laying down on the chair, with his left arm holding to the backside and his legs sitting on top of the side supports. He tilted his head and again showed a cocky grin to Sven, who looked no a bit pleased. "What do you know about this alliance of shady guys getting together on a single planet?" The Saiyan finally went straight to the point.

A shocked looked settled on the man's face, his already pale skin got even paler. In a nervous tic, his eyes glanced for one side to another. Coorin's question clearly worked the man up to the point of his façade starts to crumble. "I don't know what you are talking about." Sven said, clearing his throat right after.

"Not a smart choice, Sven." Coorin stood up from his seat and glared at the man. His fake friendly behavior rapidly changing. The Saiyan soldier slammed both of his hands at the counter in front of Sven, a loud noise o cracking wood coming out of it. "Now use that filthy mouth of yours for the only thing that is good for, and spit out what you know." Coorin quickly grabbed the man's by his clothes and pulled him closer, glaring at him all the time.

"Fuck off." The grey-skinned information broker shoved the Saiyan away, not giving in to Coorin's heated gaze. "Why don't we do like this. Use that pretty mouth of yours for the only thing that is good for and suck my cock." Sven smirked as he said that, his only hand going down to his crotch making a very suggestive motion. "Maybe it will refresh my memory a bit."

A piece of the floor broke with a loud explosion, sending pieces of wood and metal to the air. Waves of air erupted on the room and before Sven could raise his arm in protection his nose smashed in with the weight of Janola's fist colliding with his face. A massive gush of blue blood came out of the blow, together with a cringing noise of bones breaking as the shopkeeper got sent flying towards the back wall.

"A bit too much, wasn't it?" Coorin said softly to his partner who continues to stare at Sven with a dangerous blazing gaze. "Again not very smart, Sven. I told you, my friend here would bash your nose in if you tried something funny." Coorin jumped over the counter, kneeling closer to the man whimpering on the ground. "Telling me to suck you off classify as funny business, even if I didn't find it funny… not, one, bit."

"Gah… I get it, I get it. Just keep that fucker away from me." Sven sat down, holding his bleeding nose with a pained expression.

"So? What do you know?" Coorin asked, his friendly smile returning to his lips but his eyes still carrying the cold rage that he showed just moments ago.

"They didn't get to me, goddammit my nose hurts. I only heard rumors about this new group of 'benefactors' if you want to call them that. They go after anyone that may help with their little campaign." Sven said hissing even more with pain.

"And what campaign that would be?" Coorin pressed on. He carefully grabbed the lower end of Sven's black robes and tore a small piece off from it, handing it to the man so he could stop the bleeding.

Sven 'gratefully' grabbed the piece of cloth handed to him and pressed against his nose, which didn't help much to stop the mess of blood that it turned out after that one blow. "What do you think smartass? They want to clean the universe of the plague that you Saiyans are." He stood up, throwing a few dirty glares at Janola, but quickly changing his attention to a drawer close to him. "Not that I agree with them. You Saiyans are a pain in everyone's asses, but at least we are far away from the old killing each other days."

"I see… So that is all that you know?" Coorin eyed him suspiciously, waiting for the man's response.

"Yeah, that's all." Sven responded with an annoyed snort. "They come in, reach for anyone that they deemed useful and that person simply vanishes away with them. No clues or witnesses, clean as that."

"Back to square zero, it seems… Well, thank you for your time and cooperation." Coorin patted the man on his shoulder, making the shopkeeper growl in frustration. "Next time, don't try to put up a strong face, Sven. It will save everyone a lot of frustrations."

"I have to or who will respect me in this damned place? No respectful information broker gives information that easy." Sven responded surprisingly in a more friendly manner than expected, then the realization hit him. "Next time? Don't show your stupid face here never again."

"Haha, until the next one Sven." Coorin waved one hand to his 'friend' and patted Janola on his shoulder, making the large Saiyan turn to leave.

"This place is awful…" This was the first thing Janola said as they walked out of the rundown shop.

"Didn't like it?" Coorin asked with a grin.

"No. I don't like when I lose it and turn back to what I shouldn't be." Janola said without looking back at his partner. "And this place reeks of that… Evil."

Without warning, the smaller Saiyan smacked his right fist on the other Saiyan's back, forcing Janola to stumble forward. "You are a Saiyan and that is that. I will beat the crap out of you until you get that in your head once and for all."

Janola frowned for a moment, but his expression quickly softened up, his lips parting in a soft smile. "No need for that, I believe in you." To his surprise, Coorin practically jumped on top of him, plating his lips on top of his. They shared a quick but warm kiss on the middle of these dark streets. "I thought you didn't like to be seeing by others doing this kind of thing." Janola whispered as they parted away from their kiss.

"We are surrounded by criminals and scumbags. Do you really think that I give a damn about what they will think of us?" Coorin said back with a cocky grin that quickly faded away as he noticed Janola's conflicted eyes staring at him. "What now?" He asked impatiently.

"I don't know how to feel when you say things like that." Janola looked away, pouting as he did so. "Is like you are putting us together with this kind of people, just because of… us."

"No! No, no, no. Don't even start with this crap." Coorin replied practically shouting. "Last night I let you do that cuddling bullshit that you like so much, so I will not hear your complaints a second time, no sir." He began to walk away leaving his partner behind. "I already paid for my slip-up yesterday; I will not let you talk me into another mushy night. You can forget that you hear me."

"Well, you can't blame me for trying." Janola said with a smirk.

* * *

"Lettu! Oi, wait up for a bit." Aonori called out for the teen soldier from the other side of the giant entrance hall of the palace. The quirky soldier running like a mad man in his attempt to reach Lettu, while his partner walked slowly like she is taking a leisure stroll over the gardens.

The youngster rolled his eyes and shook his head, nevertheless he stopped in his tracks and turned to greet the other man. "Good afternoon, mister Aonori." He said as formal as he could, much to Aonori's distaste, the man looked at him like he had seen the strangest thing on the world.

"Don't call me mister, what the hell? Makes me feel like a decaying old man." With at least one more annoyed puff, the older soldier raised his hands showing off a bunch of papers stacked together.

"What's that?" Said Lettu, staring at those papers with one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"We got a lead on this strange case of banding criminals." Aonori said pushing the papers to the soldier-boy.

"It was a pain in the ass to get that, so I expect some compensation." Cavasa said as she finally reached the other two. Her fierce eyes landing on Lettu's small frame, making the woman smirk in contempt.

Lettu felt a cold shiver run across his back, forcing him to clear his throat in an attempt to shake off the leers he is receiving from the massive Saiyan. "Good job, I guess. But what this has to do with me?"

"We are reporting to you, of course. Psht, what a stupid question." Aonori said with a short playful grin.

"Why me? You realize that you are higher ranked than me, right?" Lettu responded trying to return the papers back to the strange duo, but none of them made a move to get them back.

"The King is out on the field doing his thing, so that is out of the question." Aonori replied messing with his long-fringe and undercut black hair. "We even tried to talk with the Queen, but…"

"Go talk about that boring stuff with Vegeta or something like that. We have some more pressing matters to deal with." In an attempted to mimic what appears to be Arula's behavior, Cavasa said it with a cutesy sounding voice, which was very weird to hear coming out of her.

"And then we went to talk with lord Vegeta, but…" Aonori pointed to his partner, who stepped forward and changed her behavior from cute to angry-looking.

"If Asparus is not available, then talk with Lettu. Those two are the ones that deal with that now." Cavasa now said in a deep voice, in imitation of Vegeta's. "Unless you want to spar with me, you can go away now."

"That's why we are handing this over to you." Aonori pointed to the stack of papers and nodded. "I think that was a good impression of lord Vegeta, very stoic and pissed off." He quickly turned to his partner clapping his hands in approval.

"Thank you. You have to see my impression of Cabba, is the best one by far." Cavasa said as she pulled her hair up while making a stupid looking face.

Between Cavasa's unending arsenal of mimics, Aonori way to energetic laughing and the negligence on the part of the royal couple. Lettu couldn't help but sigh in exasperation. "So now a normal ranking soldier has to reign over the planet? Fantastic…"

"I concur with you boy. This is ridiculous." A man with aged features walked in from the entryway behind Lettu. "To think that Sadala would turn into such a chaotic mess… is disappointing."

'Great another annoying guy to piss me off.' Lettu thought to himself as he turned to acknowledged the man. "Good afternoon to you, mister Soriel." The young soldier even if unwillingly bowed in front of the man, who grinned in satisfaction.

"To you too, boy." This old man with a long grizzled dark gray mane of a hair has an imposing aura to him and two black judging eyes measuring everything in front of them. While not short as Aonori and Lettu, he is smaller than Cavasa, but his body is far more muscular and defined than the other three. He wears a set of regal clothes in a set of a dark green long robe, with a distinct symbol in the chest, a pair of grey pants and simple but fine light boots. "I'm looking for my youngest son, do you know where he is?" Soriel said staring at Lettu, to put it more accurately, he is practically glaring with defiance at the young soldier.

"I don't know, for as I don't keep tabs on all soldiers on the force." Lettu responded returning a glare of the same intensity towards the man.

"So, you don't execute your job properly." Soriel replied.

"Ah, sir… I heard that Coorin left Sadala before the sunrise." Aonori jumped in before the two of them jumped at each other's throat. "If what he said yesterday is true, he is due to return at any moment now."

"With that abomination, I presume." The distasteful old man said with venom in his voice. "Doesn't matter, I will go and wait for him on the hangar." With one last look of disdain towards Lettu, Soriel turned away and left the hall with fast, but well-coordinated steps.

"Gah, I hate that guy." Cavasa said wriggling her face in a grimace.

"You shouldn't provoke that one." Aonori said to Lettu. "He has nasty fame of holding grudges."

Shrugging off Aonori's warning, Lettu looked as the man stepped out of the main entrance. "That man is lucky that Janola is so patient. If it were me on his shoes, I would have beat the crap out of that fucker a long time ago."

"Huhu, I love seeing that angry face of yours." The Saiyan woman said, her lips parting in a very unsettling smile.

"I guess, is time for me to look at this." Lettu said dangling the papers in front of him. "I swear, someday I will just quit this job and live like a hermit."

"Good luck reading that." Aonori said waving one hand and grinning. "Cavasa's handwriting sucks."

"That's a lie!" The woman whacked her partner on the back of his head. "Bye-bye, Lettu! Give me a call later and invite me to dinner. I would love that."

"Pair of weirdos." Lettu said to himself but still smiled as he walked away from the odd duo shouting words at him.

* * *

"Nothing is better than coming back home after a job well done." Coorin rested his head against his seat support and closed his eyes.

"We didn't get anything out of that." Janola said back, still working on the ship's control as they had yet to land safely on their hangar.

"We pissed Sven off, that was worth the trip." The laid-back soldier laughed from remembering the outlaw's look of fear after Janola punched him. A little sadistic humor getting the better of the small Saiyan as he started to laugher even more.

"Holy… shit." Janola's voice came out with a tone of shock and disbelief.

"What did you do?" Coorin's eyes snapped open after hearing his partner surprise. "Landed on top of someone?"

"Your father is here." The words coming out of the Saiyan, with hybrid colored hair, killed all the warmth and cheerfulness that their cabin had. "Coorin, I…"

"What the hell… what that shitty old man wants here?" Coorin didn't even wait for the spaceship's engine to cool down, he pushed the door open and jumped down footbridge, landing ever so close to the old Saiyan.

"What look of insolence is that on your eyes?" Soriel said staring at his youngest son's eyes. "Have you forgotten your place?"

"I didn't forget anything, especially about you. Shitty dad." Coorin clenched his fist a fierce scowl forming on his features. "What do you want here?"

"Hmph, feisty as ever. You are in a dire need of learning some manners again." The man shook his head in disapproval, his superiority demeanor only making his son even more aggravated. "I came here to remind you of your duties or have you forgotten about that as well?"

"That's rich coming from you. Hear me out you son of a-."

"Coorin." Janola landed behind the smaller Saiyan, putting one of his hands on the angry soldier's shoulder. "Stop that…"

"Oh, the half-breed! What a displeasure of seeing you again." The grizzled man spat at the ground as he said his words. "No wonder my son is confused about his standings, getting associated with something so low is bound to affect him."

"You…" Coorin said fuming with anger, he greeted his teeth trying his best to not punch his own father in the face. "You're not worth our time, let's go Janola. Leave this snake to his own venom."

"Play friends with this half-breed all you want, Coorin. But you will do as I say in the end." Soriel said sternly, and then to his surprise, Coorin charged at him stopping but a few inches away from his face.

"He may be only half Saiyan, but he is four times the soldier that you ever were." Coorin said pumping his fist at his father chest a few times, who didn't move an inch despite the force behind Coorin's shoves.

Soriel leaned his face closer making Coorin even more unsettled. "I will be waiting for you at our home." The old man turned and began to walk away. "Don't make me wait too much."

"You can wait all you want, you hear me?! Fucking wait for an eternity!" Coorin's words echoed inside the port, making everyone present stare at him.

Janola only watched as his partner continued to shout and curse. He noticed Soriel turned his head just enough to shot him a disgusted look, just before shifting his gaze ahead of him again and vanishing within one of the exits. 'I am sorry Coorin, if only I...' He looked at his raging lover and bit his lips in frustration.

* * *

_**PS - **_Is just me or Sven looks like Squidward from Spongebob? Sorry I just got this image as I was writing it and now it's stuck with me.

Ah... it's so good to be back to this "universe" again.

_**Reviews:**_

VcArchangel chapter 1 . Mar 4 – I really set Janola and Coorin to this development, but I didn't push it at the other story, because I know that this is not for everyone. And yeah, the original band (Cabba, Caulifla, Kale and Asparus) are here in this story and they are here a lot, but this is not a story about them. Of course, they will play their parts on the grand plot, just how will they do it? That is a secret.

This one will be more open and free for every character to have their time and their little part on this story. (I'm looking at you Lettu).

You don't know how much I missed your reviews. ;D

jordannoad123 chapter 1 . Mar 5 – Thank you for your words, I really appreciate it. I will always try to make things more interesting and entertaining at every chapter. You're free to comment on which parts you like the most and the ones that sucks. Every feedback is great.


	3. Chapter 3 - Cool Drink on a Frosty Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes: **_Hey, sorry for the long delay. I was a bit too concentrated on my other story and I ended up neglecting this one for a few days. But don't worry, I will update this story until the end, it may take a few more days to do so, but I will be here. ;) _

* * *

Sitting alone on the far-left stool in front of the corner, Frost is 'enjoying' his cold drink as much as he can, something that is difficult, seeing that his latest blunder is souring the taste of the beverage.

"Rough day?" A sketchy looking man approached the ice-jin mutant holding bottle of a golden liquid on his hands.

Frost finished the drink on his cup, quickly placing it at the corner for a refill. "You can say that." He mustered a weak grin to the friendly barkeeper, waiting for the goodwill of the huge blue man to offer him another full glass of his favorite wine.

"I feel ya, buddy. Somedays is just better to drink your problems away." The barkeeper gladly pored another full cup to the ice-jin and then pulled a cup for himself filling in just as much as the other one. "Cheers."

"Hmph… to a shitty day." Frost gulped more than half of his fill in one go, a little buzz getting into his head, making his posture on his seat waver a bit.

The rusty sound of the entrance doors opening took the barkeeper's attention away, the blue man walked to the other side of his counter, leaving the depressed Frost to enjoy the rest of his drink by himself.

"Start a war… Never heard something more stupid than that." Frost hammered his left hand on the wood surface of the counter, getting some attention to himself. "Why did you try to drag me into this mess?"

Without a word of warning, a firm hand clapped on top of Frost's right shoulder, making the outlaw jump in surprise.

"You need to slow down a bit on that stuff." Cabba said with a friendly smirk, pointing to the cup on Frost's hand.

"What are you doing here?" Frost said with an annoyed hiss.

"Just checking on an old friend." The Saiyan replied casually. "So how are you doing?" Cabba took a seat next to the ice-jin, something that baffled him. Is Cabba mistaken about their relationship or delusional about it? Those are the question shining clear as day on Frost's eyes.

"I'm no friend of yours and I have no idea why you thought otherwise." The ice-jin gulped down the rest of his drink in one go and slammed the cup down on the wood surface. "Have a nice day." He prepared to leave his spot, but as he lifted himself just a bit from his stool, a tight grasp came from behind and pushed him down, forcing Frost to stay on place.

"Why the hurry?" Asparus dragged a chair next to Frost and sat by his side. "We have a lot to talk about."

"And who the hell are you?" Frost shot a glare at the other Saiyan, he tried to leave again, but Asparus's hand pushed him down with even more force.

"It depends. If you collaborate with us, I am just another friendly Saiyan in hopes of making friends. But if you choose to make some trouble…" The Saiyan king slid one hand to the hilt of his sword, the familiar form of that weapon sending chills down the Ice-jin's spine. With widened eyes, Frost nodded his head and straightened himself on his seat, showing no plans of going against the Saiyans.

"Will you have anything?" The barkeeper slid closer to them, rubbing his hands together as he waited for the answer.

"We will have the same as him." Cabba pointed to Frost. "Full cups, please."

"Say what, I will leave a bottle here and you guys can pay on the checkout. How about it?" Feeling way to eager to please his new customers, the blue man brought another bottle of his golden beverage and opened it just for their enjoyment.

"That sounds perfect." Cabba quickly grabbed one of the clean crystal cups in front of him and poured the golden stuff into it until it got full to the brink of spilling out. His unusual actions earning him a glare from Asparus. "Hm… It's quite good. Have some too." He poured the same exaggerated amount on another cup and gave it to his king, who once again glared at him.

"Anyway… We are in need of some information. And my friend here says that you are the guy that can provide them." Asparus relaxed his posture and eyed his golden drink. "What do you know about this secret league of bandits banding together?" With no workaround or detours, He went straight to the core problem, which made Frost flinch at the brashness of his behavior and the question itself. Following suit from his over-playful subordinate and friend, Asparus took a sip of his drink. 'What's this thing? Sugared water?' He wrinkled his forehead in discontent of the so-called alcohol drink he got.

"There is no such thing as a band of bandits." Frost grabbed the bottle and filled his cup to the max. "You guys will be pretty screwed if that is your thought process." Paying no mind to manners, the ice-jin chugged the entire thing with one gulp, a little burp escaping his lips afterward. "Bandjitis… yeah, right."

"Then, what are they?" Asparus pressed on.

"An army, you dumbass." Frost let out a hiccup, he leaned into the right hitting his elbow on Cabba's arm. "Hey Cabba, are you guys letting retards on the force now?"

"Pfft, hey frost… heh, you should watch your mouth." Cabba placed a hand on his mouth, doing his best to not bust in a fit of laughter. "Hah, if you continue to insult my king, I will be forced to beat the crap out of you."

"K-king?" Frost looked at Asparus with a confused expression. "You... The Saiyan King?" He eyed the man up and down, shaking his head while doing it. "Nah, isn't the Saiyan king supposed to be five meters tall and have bright red eyes? Oh yeah, don't forget the fire spitting."

"Buahahahaha, the super king!" Cabba could not hold his laugh anymore, he bent forward, resting his head against the counter, hitting the wood surface with one hand as he laughed away.

"For gods sake, what army?!" Asparus gritted his teeth to not shout at the top of his lungs. He noticed Frost aim his right hand at the bottle sitting on the counter, and snatched it away before the drunk Ice-jin could grab it. "Want the booze? Then talk."

"Don't know, mister king. You said yourself, they are a 'bit' secretive and seeing as I am right here with you, I am not with them." Frost scratched the back of his head, eyeing non-stop the bottle on Asparus's hands. "All that I know, is that they are preparing to war. With whom, I expect that I don't need to tell you."

"You have to know more about this, come on Frost." Cabba wrapped one arm around Frost's neck. "The faster you tell us, the faster he will give the bottle back." He dangled his empty cup in the air, getting his questionable friend's attention. "I still want some more, c'mon."

"Fine, fine… Anything for that sweet wine." Another hiccup escaped Frost's mouth. "They have three leaders for what I got, a cute little triangle made of the worse kind of people. I have the name of one of the leaders, just one name. Then you guys do the rest."

"Good enough, which name is it?" Asparus responded, placing the bottle on the counter, but still holding it in his hand.

"Blizzard… One of the leaders is called Blizzard." The ice-jin let out a conflicted sigh, he dizzily shook his head, taking both hands to his face. "He is my father and the one that tried to drag me into that mess."

Asparus opened his mouth to press on and take out as much information he can out of the drunken criminal, but Cabba waved one hand to get his attention and shook his head singling that it was enough.

"I see... Thank you for the information." Asparus slid the bottle over to the side, which Cabba quickly grab hold of.

"Now we drink!" The Saiyan soldier hummed happily as he poured even more wine for him and for Frost.

"Know what? Cabba, you are a cool guy." Frost smacked his right hand on Cabba's back.

"And you were saying that you are not my friend." The Saiyan soldier responded with an even stronger clap on the Ice-jin's back, sending him face down on the counter. With not bad-blood or complaints on his part, Frost raised his head, nose bleeding from the impact, and shot Cabba a friendly grin.

"To friendship and the giant Saiyan king!" Frost cheered loudly, holding his cup high in the air.

"Hahah, don't forget the fire breathing." Cabba grabbed his drunk friend by the arm, and both began to laugh wildly with no care in their lives.

Their little party lasted more than a one hour, with Cabba and Frost drinking and talking nonsense all the time, and Asparus silently watching on his seat while the other two continued with the loudest commotion in the bar. After the tall bottle of golden wine had finally dried out, the Saiyan king decided that it was time to put an end to their fun and forcefully pulled Cabba out of his seat, Frost angrily protesting Asparus decision in the form of curses and unintelligent comments.

"O-oi… Gabba! We, hm... we needs to hang out more… some time." Frost said with a goofy smirk. "You are a greatest friend."

"You are swell too. Just give me a call and we can work the details out." Cabba turned to nod at his party friend, but he did such an awkward movement that his entire body leaned to the side, almost throwing him and Asparus on the floor. "See you later, you crazy lizard you."

"I can't believe you made me pay for this entire thing…" Asparus hissed angrily. "Even for the things he ordered before we got here."

"C'mon Asparus, is just some fun times. We had fun, hadn't you? I had tons." Cabba said with a wide grin, and the stupid grin on his face pissing off the man that is helping him walk.

"W-wait." Frost called out to them before the pair of Saiyan could walk out of the building. "There's one more t-thing… you need t-to know." His drunk façade cooling down for a bit and a serious expression showing up on his pale face. "The man behind this… I saw him. He looks like you guys, but a bit different. Shorter, funny looking red-hair and yellow eyes… Be careful about that one, h-he is bad news."

"Gotcha ya. We will be cautious about this." Cabba replied with some seriousness himself. "Farewell, Frost. Have a good rest tonight, you need it."

With that the two Saiyans walked out of the bar, Asparus shutting the door behind them. As the noises of the lively place went muffled and the silence of the moonlit streets greeted them, Asparus took his arm away from Cabba's body, letting the soldier walk by himself.

"So, what do you think?" Asparus asked drily.

"He was being honest. I'm sure of that." Cabba responded with a cold and serious face. Dropping the lightheaded act that he was putting. "Which makes this even worse… a band of criminals was bad enough. But a war?"

"Yeah… I never heard of anyone declaring war on us before. Maybe another bad guy coming over from a different universe?"

"Who knows? After last time I expect half of the multiverse is plotting to attack us." Cabba rubbed his eyes letting out a tired sigh. "We need to find this Blizzard guy before they become a real problem."

"They already are… Gods why are we so 'lucky', huh?" The Saiyan king stared at the dark sky above them and cursed softly under his breath. "Let's go back to Sadala, we can chase after this guy when we pinpoint his location."

* * *

For various reasons, some involving a certain unpleasant Saiyan parent, Coorin is out and about extremely late at night. While Janola tried to accompany him for the most part, the aggravated mood on the shorter soldier managed to get on Janola's nerves, and he took his leave earlier, much earlier in truth, making his way to their home while Coorin continued to fiddle around on the streets. After walking, wandering on the silent streets of the city, and somewhat cooling down his boiling rage, the moody Saiyan go back to his house only to find everything dark and received no warm welcome like he usually gets.

Coorin decided against turning the lights on, instead, he blindly stepped his way around the living room, not a hard task considering that he knows every inch of the house. As he approached the third door on the hallway, pass the entry room, a familiar little noise made itself present to him. He pushed open the door to the bedroom, carefully and slowly so to not disturb a sleepy Saiyan, and saw Janola curled into a ball on the side of the bed. The faint snoring noise from before getting a bit louder, but not enough to categorize as a sound that would bother anyone.

'How can someone so big be so cute at the same time?' Coorin could not help but smile at the sleeping form of his lover. Janola has a little tendency of curling into a ball when he sleeps alone, a habit he still has from his complicated and lonely childhood. What Coorin finds cute is not the emotional scar that his partner has, but rather, how needy he gets when he wants attention.

The sight of their bed turning into a very welcoming one, with the stress of a hard day and the cuteness of his lover, being the two major points for that. Coorin slid his clothes away, keeping only his underwear on, and then he took his place next to Janola, wrapping one of his arms around the large back of the sleeping Saiyan.

"Coorin?" Janola asked his voice coming out fuzzy from his sleep.

"You have someone else cuddling with you that I don't know?" Coorin replied, clearly making fun of his lover.

"Very funny." Janola turned around and pulled Coorin into a tight embrace. He felt the cold sensation of Coorin's skin touching his chest and it feels so good. "Where have you been?"

"Walking…" He responded dryly. "I needed to cool down, how can you be so calm about this?"

"Because I don't care." The response was short and direct, just like every time. "Your father has his opinions, nothing I can do about that. Well, the only thing I can do is ignore him; yours is the only one that matters to me."

"Is that so?" A little chuckle escaped smaller soldier's lips. "You have to do something about this nature of yours. Being patient or collected is cool and all, but not when people treat you like that... My blood boils just from remembering about it."

"Then don't. Isn't there better things to think about? Better things to… do?"

"Like…? My mind went kind of blank here." Coorin pushed himself away from Janola to get a clear vision of his lover's face. A sly smile appearing on his features as he fawned his hands all over Janola's toned upper body.

"Hm… What's this about?" Janola eyed his partner with curious eyes. "Are you trying to imply something?"

"Aren't you supposed to be the smart one?" Coorin punched Janola right on his chest; it was not a hard hit but more of a bratty spur. He avoided his gaze away from the other Saiyan, pouting like a spoiled kid for not getting what he wanted.

And this it is, what Janola wanted all along. To say that Janola finds his lover cute is an understatement, but when Coorin pouts and angrily looks away, his cuteness level just increases by tenfold. He cannot resist when his partner acts like this, Coorin is not someone to beg or ask directly for anything, but is very clear what is going on inside his head right now.

Janola leaned in, he raised his left arm and placed the back of his hands on the soft cheek of his lover, caressing ever so lovely. "You look so cute." He whispered on Coorin's right ear.

"Shut up!" Burning hot with the red blush on his cheeks, Coorin turned completely to the other side, showing his back to Janola. Yet, a wide grin crept its way to his lips, showing how he truly feels about what is just about to start. A yelp escaped from Coorin as a pair of lips found their way on the nape of his neck, biting him softly and yet fiercely enough to leave a mark on his skin.

"I love you." Janola said in another whisper, his voice brushing on Coorin's small back sending shivers to his entire body.

Coorin turned over, the red on his cheeks spreading to his entire face; he stared at his lover's eyes and melted over the longing gaze coming from those black and shining orbs. He pulled himself closer, at first just touching, caressing his lips onto his lover's. Then it changed into a deeper kiss, more passionate, more intimate. Their tongues battled each other, a constant fight for domination, for control of the other one; While Coorin started very enthusiastic making every move to topple his lover, took no longer than a few smacks of their lips for Janola to overpower him, to win over their little battle, leaving Coorin completely obedient under his grasp.

"Ah… Ah… Janola…" Coorin whispered between their kisses, digging his fingers on the skin of Janola's back.

"Say it." The bigger Saiyan said, pressing himself onto his lover, taking yet another gasp from him. "Say it to me."

"W-What?" Coorin looked at him feeling a bit confused and out of air. "I want-"

"I love you." Janola interrupted Coorin before their talk took a different turn. "Say it."

"No…" Coorin said weakly, barely gathering his strength to look away.

"Why not?"

"I will not… say it." The smaller Saiyan fidget quietly, doing his best to stand his ground and not look back at his lover. "If I say it… you win."

"Coorin, look at us right now." Janola pointed out to the fact that he is standing on top of Coorin, pressing the cute Saiyan down on the soft mattress. "I've already won."

"Dumbass..." Coorin jumped from his spot and grabbed onto Janola's body, turning the bigger Saiyan around and tossing him on his back down to the bed. "I love you." He leaned down, pressing his forehead against Janola's, the warm feeling coming from him having a soothing sensation on the smaller lover. "I really, really love you." He pressed down, closing themselves in another trade of kisses.

Hardships, troubles or even some persecution that they may suffer from being together, none of that seems to matters when they are together like this. When they are feeling the embrace of each other, telling how much they love one another… everything else just fades away.

* * *

"The flames of war are still alive… They will be back, bringing another tide of bloodsheds…" Lettu read the last bit on Cavasa's report one more time, he caressed his aching head letting out a tired sigh, his research leaving him exhausted both mentally and physically. "What's this even supposed to mean?" He shifted his gaze to the large table in front of him, a pile of books and historical documents scattered all around, he can hardly believe that he went through that much reading in just one day.

The Saiyan youth spent his entire day confined in this tiny room within the main building of the defense force. He overworked his head until the sunlight faded away giving space to the bright moonshine to take its place, and yet he found nothing. Sure, this particular report is nothing more than useless information, but he can let it go. The mention of war and bloodsheds have him on edge, he can't ignore that something so dread can be in store for his people's future.

"War… what war?" Lettu said to himself, rubbing two fingers on his forehead. "If we had something as big as a war in our past, why can't I find a thing about it?"

A soft click sound came from the other side of the room, the door slowly opening up.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know that you were in here." Greeno, the now retired veteran soldier walked in, holding a few books in his arms. He eyed the abnormal number of books lying open on the table and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't a bit late to be reading about history?"

"Hello, sir… What time is it?" Lettu would stand up and bow his head in respect of his veteran, but he barely has the energy to stay awake.

"Two a.m. give it or take." The older Saiyan casually walked in, putting his books back on the shelves. He then grabbed one of the books on the table, not holding his curiosity of what caught the youngster interest. "This is… a registry book? Got any problems at the office? I can help you if you want to."

"While that place is a mess, no we don't have a problem in there." Lettu raised one hand, showing a piece of paper to his senior. "But I would appreciate some help with this."

Greeno read the first sentence and snorted, almost laughing out loud. "This guy is kind of cute, he has good features. But I still prefer Lettu or even Asparus, that scar of his is so sexy." The ex-soldier looked at Lettu, waving the paper in front of him. "Is this a love letter or… I can't even guess what it is."

"Ngh… Just ignore her random ramblings, just look at the end."

The playful grin that marked Greeno's features quickly faded away, trading places with a concerned expression marred together with an enraged scowl. "War… this is impossible."

"That picked your interest too, huh?" Lettu leaned in, resting his elbows on the table. "I looked all around about this 'war', but never found anything."

"Where… no, who said this?" Greeno pointed to the paper in his hand.

"Cavasa and Aonori did an investigation about a sketchy-sounding group. Wait for a second, I have the names of everyone that they interrogated." He tossed books and papers to the side with no disregard for anything, quickly spotting a green colored paper in the pile of things at the table. "Yenz, the Moon-shark. Gods, what a stupid name."

"Never heard of that one…"

"The way a look at this, doesn't matter who this guy is. However… this 'war', know something about it, sir?" Lettu eyed his veteran with different eyes. for the first time since they meet each other, the younger is staring at his senior with a questioning look.

"Hah… Don't surprise me that you don't know about this." Greeno took a sit on a chair at the other side of the table. "Most people who fought in that… is now a veteran or retired altogether."

"So, this is true then?" Lettu pointed to the report on Greeno's hands. "Why we don't have anything about that registered here? I mean, how come no one never talks about a war."

"Because our king made sure that it would be erased from history. When I say our king, I mean master Vegeta's father. He was the one in command at that time and his hatred for those people grew to a point that got out of control." Greeno clenched his hands, crushing the piece of paper in his grasp, a saddened and disgust expression showing on his face. "He wanted to erase that nightmare from history. I don't blame him for that."

"Greeno, sir. Who are 'those people'? What happened to make the king erase this from history?" Lettu pressed on, a curiosity with a bit of desperation showing in his tone. His sharp black eyes staring firmly at this senior, making very awkward to the old Saiyan to ignore him.

"I never went to the front lines, not even got close to Planet Plant. But I will tell you what I know." Greeno considered for a moment what he is about to do, to break the vow he made his king so long ago is something that troubles him even hurts his pride, but he knows that pride means little when something so big may return to haunt their people. "A long time ago, when I was just a new recruit, a particular race was creating more trouble than any others on the universe, taking other planets and enslaving other people. They were swift, powerful in their own way, but more importantly, they were smart, almost impossibly so."

Lettu got on the edge of his seat, his heart beating with excitement. Of course, he feels a bad taste in his mouth just from hearing the word "enslave", but he cannot deny his interest in a foe so powerful.

Greeno saw the strange glow of interest on the youth's eyes, he shook his head showing a short smile and continued. "Tuffles is their name. Geniuses in every aspect, but crueler than any kind of monster. We tried to reason with them at first, didn't seem right to attack an entire race because of a few bad apples, at least that is what we thought at first… but that approach didn't last long."

"What happened?"

"Even with our warnings, they continued to snatch planets, to conquer everything in their path. They claimed to be superior to any and all races of the universe." Greeno spat angrily at this part. "There were not few bad apples among them, every Tuffle is a monster, even their little ones; beasts with no sympathy. So, what choice we had? We went to war against that menace."

"That we won, that is clear. But… What then?" Lettu held one hand on his chin, imagining what probably happened to the Tuffles. "Are all of them dead?"

"Hah, even before seeing this." Greeno raised the crumbled piece of paper. "I knew that they were not gone, Tuffles are too smart to just let themselves die like that. But this talk of war… if they come back. I hate to think what would happen to Sadala."

"This is even worse than what I expected…" Lettu sighed in defeat, he stood up from his head and properly bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, sir. For sharing this piece of history with me."

"I just told you what little I know about this. If you truly want to know about our hated enemies, then go see someone that fought them directly, someone that suffered on the front." Greeno said in a grim tone.

"Who?" Lettu asked.

"The man responsible for training three of our best soldiers. Renso, your brother's first master, he is your best option." Greeno stood up from his seat and turned away from Lettu, walking straight to the door. "Ah… this is bigger than me or you… Sorry boy." The veteran said to himself, something that confused the youngers at first, but he quickly understood the man's frustration. "Lettu, if, you go to Renso to inquire him about this… Then ask him about the Tuffle boy."

"A boy?" Lettu could let his mind run wild and create thousands of assumptions, but he knows better than make stupid decisions like that. He just nodded his head and complied in silence as his veteran walked out of the room.

* * *

"Then, I will take my leave." A servant bowed down in respect and walked away, leaving Kale and Caulifla alone in the giant inner garden of the palace.

"I still don't get it, why does everyone that I bump into this giant-ass castle treat me like a queen?" The woman with wild spiky hair leaned on her chair, giving a side look to the woman who just walked out. "It feels weird."

"I don't think that they are eager to find out what happens if they treat you badly. Imagine what would Lettu do if he gets word of something like that or even Asparus." Kale responded with a giggle. "Trust me, sometimes even I feel weird with all the attention they give me."

With Caulifla coming over in a surprise visit, Kale asked to have her breakfast on the garden. A wish that was promptly answered, with two large tables being set up at the sunny clearing, littered with every type of foods and drinks for just the two of them.

"How much food is in here… Geez." Caulifla said in a complaint just for the sake of it, because the glint of her eyes betrays her, showing how much she is enjoying herself. "You know, the other day I caught Asparus sleeping in a tiny room all crumped up on a chair. Anything to say about that?"

"Was he angry?" Kale asked with a low voice.

"What you think?" Caulifla grabbed a large and round bread, taking a big bite out of it. "He was fuming the last time I saw him. Did he say something to piss you off?" Then she gasped and placed one hand in front of her mouth. "Did he cheat on you?"

"No, he did nothing wrong… Why are you always asking if he is cheating on me?" Kale replied a bit frustrated, looking sadly to the feast in front of her. "Is just… I want to make a surprise to him."

"I will give a wild guess and say that this little stunt you pulled out, soured his mood to surprises." Caulifla saw an old Saiyan Saiyan walking calmly on the other side of the garden, holding a little baby girl on his arms. The scene brought a little smile to her lips. "Then, what's the big surprise?"

"I… I'm expecting." Kale said shyly, but beaming like a ray of light.

"Seriously?! That's great! I'm so happy for you." Caulifla practically jumped from her seat, going over the table and wrapping Kale in a tight and warm hug. "Congratulations, Kale."

"Thank you." Kale hugged her friend back, a few tears popping up on her eyes. "I'm so happy. But now I made Asparus angry with me."

"Pssh, like he can stay angry after hearing this." Then something came into realization to her. Caulifla pushed away from Kale and looked at her suspiciously. "That is why you kicked him out of your room? Who the hell does that?"

"I-I didn't do it! Mother was the one that shoved him out… Actually, she blasted him away."

"I told you once, I will tell you again. That mother-in-law of yours is crazy, I tell you, she is not normal." Caulifla casually glided on the air, returning to her spot and to enjoy her meal.

"She is just… spirited, I guess." Kale said with a weak smile. "Don't be harsh on her, she is a lovely person."

"Hey you two, having a good breakfast?" Kale's father said with a big smile. Corabi pulling the fabric of his shirt with one hand and with the other one waving to her mother. "I think this little girl is feeling very hungry, isn't that right?" He looked at Cora and made a funny face, causing the girl to squeal and laugh to him.

Caulifla cleaned her hands on clear-white towel sitting on the table and reached with her arms to grab Corabi. "Are you hungry? You look so chubby already, I don't believe you."

The baby waved her arms in the air, happily giggling, but at the same time trying to grab her mother's pink shirt.

"Are you trying to grab my breast? Geez, I believe you, you hungry Saiyan ball." Caulifla sighed and laughed, surprised by her daughter's fierce appetite.

Kale laughed, holding both hands close to her chest. "You're such a loving mother."

"Yeah, laugh all you want. Let's see how you will like when your baby keeps sucking your tits every two hours."

"I-I will go see the garden outside… the day is rather hot today; the plants need some water." The old man excuse himself swiftly before Caulifla could expose her breast to feed Corabi. "Oh, good day to you two."

"Good day, sir." Asparus voice sounded from the entrance. He and Cabba entered the garden as the old man made his way out. "Hey, look at that feast… By the gods cover yourself, woman!" For the young's king surprise, as he walked in, he saw Caulifla with her shirt all the way up, exposing not just one, but both of her breasts. With a mighty spin, Asparus averted his gaze away.

"What is all the fuzz? Never saw a woman's chest before?" Caulifla continued with no worries in her mind.

"Not yours and I would have liked to stay like that." Asparus slapped his friend in the arm at least three times. "Say something."

"Nice body, honey." Cabba gave his wife a confident thumbs-up, a bright grin showing on his lips.

Cabba, Caulifla, and Kale all shared a loud and healthy laugh, which made Asparus turn bright red in embarrassment. "Gah, Unbelievable. No one in this damned place shows any respect… I'm going to sleep." With an angry spout, the young king stomped away, leaving the trio behind him.

"You better go after him, we don't want our poor King feeling that he is not loved, do we?" Caulifla nodded with her head, showing Kale what to do, and the Saiyan Queen wasted no time, she jumped out of her seat and chased after her husband, running as fast as she could to reach him before she can hide away. "Hey there hot stuff, how was your trip?" Caulifla changed her attention to Cabba, she winked to him and smiled seductively.

Cabba stood there in silence, watching the two most precious people in his life. Then his conversation with Frost came into his head. "I will not allow it."

"Huh?" Caulifla tilted her head to the side, not understanding what he said.

"Nothing, just thinking out loud." He smiled and shook his head. 'I will never allow anyone to hurt any of you… never.'

* * *

"_Janola, these two are Cabba and Coorin. They will be joining you in our training." Renso casually stepped to the side, highlighting the two kids standing behind him. "Go on, say hi to them."_

_Janola, a brat with a mean look, stared at the other Saiyan boys and scoffed._

"_Hey, there!" Cabba walked forward and extended his right hand to the strange kid. "Nice to meet you, my name is Cabba." He gave a sincere smile, holding his hand in the air, waiting for Janola to respond._

"_I don't need them." Said the boy with a funny looking black and red hair. "If you want to play with those two, don't drag me into it." He then slapped Cabba's hand away, making the happy looking boy take a few steps away from him._

"_Hey, don't talk like that." Renso said with a disapproving gaze. "Training with rivals is way better to strengthen yourself. The fun of competition."_

"_Not interested. Can I go now?" His question was more of a condescending joke, as Janola didn't even wait for his master to acknowledge what he said, to turn around and start walking._

"_Scared already?" Coorin said mocking the cold-hearted boy. "I would be too, you don't look like much. Even Cabba is bigger than you." He pointed at this smaller friend and laughed._

"_Hey! No need to say that." Cabba yelled in response._

"_A big mouthed? Hah, your type is the first one to die." Janola turned his head and gaze an unfriendly smile to Coorin._

"_What did you say?" The brash boy jumped forward, holding his fist in the air. "Say that again, I will punch that stupid smile out of your face."_

_Looking at the taller kid with disgust, Janola turned around completely and raised if right hand up, showing his middle finger to the provoking Saiyan._

"_I will kick your ass!" That was it; Coorin could not take this attitude anymore. He dashed forward, fists high in the air and shouting like crazy. As he reached his target, Coorin swung his left arm in an attempt to knock down his opponent, but his strike hit nothing._

_Janola dodged the attack with ease and gave another mocking smile to his attacker._

"_Dodge this, dumbass!" Coorin jumped forward, charging with his forehead. His attack hit Janola directly on his left ear, leaving a ringing noise echoing inside his mind. _

_Then a terrible sensation took over the little red-haired Saiyan, his head began to ache and his heart flared up in flames of pure hatred. With a swift and effective motion, he pushed Coorin forward, and held off one of his arms, pressing the member against the back of the boy and twisting it to a point of almost breaking Coorin's arm._

"_So much talk and look at you." He whispered to the boy's ears. "I could just easily break your arm, look." He twisted Coorin's arm even more, making the boy scream in pain. Janola felt strange, he felt alive; the sound of his opponent suffering making him feel good about himself, his eyes turning more evil looking, the black color of his eyes changing, becoming brighter, instead of black they are now yellow._

"_Enough!" Renso stepped in and delivered a powerful slap on Janola's left cheek. The shock of being hit by Renso, making Janola snap out of his trance and release Coorin, the color of his eyes turning back to their normal black. "Don't you ever do something like that again, you hear me?" The captain yelled, letting his anger flow out of him._

"_I… I…" Janola averted his gaze away from his master's eyes, he tried to find somewhere else to look, anywhere. Then his eyes meet with Cabba's, the boy terrified of what he had just seen, he could not stand this look so he looked to the other side and found Coorin, even more scared and enraged, holding his arm and hissing in pain. "I'm going home." _

_The young boy with red and black hair turned around; without even noticing, he let out a painful sob. Silently he walked away, a few wet lines forming on his cheeks. 'Again… Why I'm like this?'_

_Renso just watched as his student walked away, it pains him to see Janola like that. However, right now he needs some space to think for himself and repent. He can only hope that someday that boy will be able to open his heart to someone._

* * *

_**PS - **I hope this last bit was not too confusing, a bit of flashback without notice. Anyway, hope you guys liked this chapter._

_**Reviews:**_

VcArchangel chapter 2 . Mar 13 – Well I always loved Lettu for the first chapter I included him in, so I wanted to give him an important role now that he gowned up. Cavasa is a bit of a weird one, even to write, as I have to think. 'Hm… what I would not say or do right now.' That is how I ended up making her.

And you know things are weird when Caulifla is the one keeping people grounded.

TheCarlosInferno chapter 2 . Mar 13 – Hey there, nice to see you back here, lol.

Anyway, I don't this that is very possible for Broly to appear on this one, a lot of things going on against the idea and he would not fit very well. But seeing how I'm planning to go all out and completely out of the normal path with this story, you never know.


	4. Chapter 4 - A Disturbing Discovery

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes: **_Another chapter coming right up, but this one is a little special one, well in parts at least. I had said before that I'm really bad with Lemon, smut and all that stuff, but I promised someone that I would make the effort of doing one scene and see how that would turn out. Well here it is, I hope it's not so bad that will make you guys roll your eyes over._

_Hey _poetrymagic12, I left your 'present' at the final part of this chapter, I hope you like it. ;)

* * *

On a cool hill, between tall and long trees, a single little house hides away from the busy life of the Sadala's cities. A lonely, but comfortable place, somewhere without worries and hidden from the troubles of a past life. A tired soldier lives in here, a man that fulfilled his duty as a soldier and as a Saiyan. Where most believe that glory follows those who survive the battlefield, in his case, there was only a heavy price to be paid.

Sitting alone on his large chair, Renso stared at the fireplace, the sizzling sound of burning wood serving as a calming melody to his ears. The retired soldier closed his eyes and placed one hand on his bad leg.

"I wonder what they are doing right now." He mused to himself, his thoughts going from his parents, then to Caulifla and Cabba.

Rough knocking sounds came from the front door, the strangely perfect-timed rhythm within those knocks practically giving away the nature of the mysterious visitor.

"One second, please." Renso said as he reached for his wooden cane. He slowly walked over the door, the sound of his steps closely followed by the tipping sound of the walking stick hitting the floor. "Oh, Good day… You are…" He tightened his vision, his memory betraying him on this one.

"Lettu, sir. My name is Lettu." The young soldier said with a respectful bow of his head.

"Oh, yeah. Lettu, Cabba's little brother, right?" Renso snapped two fingers as he remembered about the youngster from his sister's wedding. "Please, come in. I was just finishing making some tea, I hope you like sweet leaves."

"Ah… Hm… Thank you." Lettu followed Renso inside, he thought about refusing the drink offer, but he didn't want to start by leaving a bad impression on the older man.

"Take a seat, I will be right back." Renso pointed to a vacant chair, to the right of his large one by the fireplace. The man vanished inside his kitchen, leaving Lettu alone for a moment.

Even if was not his intention when he decided to come here, Lettu could not help but be curious about the man that trained his brother, his hero. The teenager wandered on the living room, his eyes catching every detail of the little room, he stopped his self-guided tour in front of a set of pictures with one in special getting his full attention. A photo of a very young and brat Caulifla, on the image she is smiling ever so happily, holding the arm of a younger-looking Renso on his former elite soldier armor.

"She was quite something at that age already." Renso said with a cool voice. "And she didn't change a bit after all those years."

"I… Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to pry." Lettu said with an apologetic bow.

"Hah, I don't mind that. I know that you are very close to my sister. Every time she comes over, she talks a lot about you." Renso walked over the pair of chairs and set a large tray on a short wooden table next to them. "And please, stop calling me sir. Makes me feel old."

"Sorry, si-…" Lettu fumbled around looking a bit uncomfortable. He quickly decided that it is best if he just shut up and takes his seat, which he quickly did.

"Here you go, is very warm and sweet. Perfect for a cold morning like this one." Renso handed a steamy cup to the teen and then prepared one for himself. "So, Lettu. What brings you here?" The retired soldier took a sip from his cup, his eyes widened in shock when the hot tea burned the tip of his tongue. "Gahh! So hot." He waved a hand in front of his mouth in a vain attempt to cool down the burning sensation.

Seeing the unfortunate incident happen to the friendly host, Lettu blew the steamy tea, cooling it just enough so it would not burn him. And like a charm, the sweet taste combined with the warming feeling of it brought a pleased little smile to the youngster's lips. "I have a few questions for you, si-… Renso. If you don't mind."

"Questions, heh?" Renso said with a side smirk. "I don't mind at all. You know, I'm always happy to disclose the funniest details about Caulifla."

"What?" Lettu looked at him lost. "N-No, I'm not here to ask about Sis- I mean, Caulifla." He composed his stance on the chair and cleared his throat.

"Really? That's no fun; I thought you wanted to dig up some dirt on her to pay back a prank she pulled on you." Renso said deflated.

"I-I, ah… no. I mean, no. Despite my age, I'm not that childish and please don't make such troubling assumptions about me." The young soldier said with a stern voice, a faint little blush showing on his cheeks.

"Haha, I didn't mean to offend you, ease up a bit soldier." The veteran said with a warm smile. "Then, what you want to know about? Maybe about Cabba when he was a kid?"

"Tuffles." Lettu replied dryly.

Renso's warm features went cold, his friendly smile vanishing away and the glow in his eyes changing to a more serious and even threatening one. "Where did you heard that name?" He asked in soldier-like façade that caught Lettu by surprise.

"I found the registry of a war with the Tuffles and when I asked about it, Greeno suggested that I should come for you to find an answer." Lettu pulled a piece of paper from one of his pockets and handed over to Renso. "And I need answers."

"Look, Lettu. King Sadala ordered the concealment about this information for a reason. You have no idea what you are digging up here." Renso looked at the paper with little interest, his gaze barely leaving Lettu's image. "You should let this rest on the shadows of our past, where it belongs."

"I will not." Lettu responded with a tingle of anger showing on his tone. "I don't know why, but you want to hide away the fact that a war happened."

"Kid, this is-"

"But I want to prevent another one to start." Lettu interrupted the older Saiyan, giving him a firm glare. "If these Tuffles are coming to attack us, I need to know about them."

"The Tuffles… are back?" Renso said with a troubled expression. "This is impossible, we… we destroyed them." He fell with his back on his large chair, his gaze slipping down to the burning wood. "This… can't be."

"Renso, sir." Lettu sat on the edge of his seat, leaning close to the veteran. "Someone is coming for us; they are preparing something big… a war maybe. So I need to know, who are the Tuffles…?" Greeno's words resounded on Lettu's mind. "What do you know about a Tuffle boy?"

That last sentence made Renso go completely stiff, his eyes traveling back to Lettu's firm gaze. "Greeno told you…?" He asked quietly, shaking his head in disappointment. "Then he also believes that they are back."

"If he believes that some dead race is back from hell or not, I can't say." The teenager fell back; taking the cup to his lips and finishing the rest of his tea in one go. "But he believes that a dangerous threat is looming over our heads. Just like me, he can see the big bad monster in the dark staring at us. So please…"

"Ah… I get it. I… understand." Renso sighed in defeat; he took one hand up, rubbing his forehead with two fingers. "I don't know what you plan to do after this, but whatever you decide to do… Promise me, that you will not go after him. Leave that boy out of this, he has suffered enough."

"I… Promise." Lettu gave the most reassuring nod he could, but on the back of his mind, he is still unsure about the length of how far he will go to keep his promise.

"Then, get comfy in your seat. This will be a long story."

* * *

"What is this even?" Asparus eyed the report that Lettu left to him and a wide range of emotions took over him, mostly confusion, irritation, and embarrassment. "I can barely read this and the part that is readable… who wrote this?" The Saiyan king crushed the paper in his hands and tossed what remained in the trash pin next to him.

"Hey… good morning. Can I talk to you?" A shy Kale opened the door slightly, showing just half of her face.

Asparus acknowledged her presence with a short side glance and responded with a quiet hum, so she could enter.

Kale nodded sadly and entered the spacious office, taking a seat on a large chair in front of her husband big desk. "Ah… Are you still angry with me?" She averted her gaze to the side, shuffling her fingers in a nervous way, something that she used to do a lot in the past.

"No… I'm not angry with you."

"I didn't see you come to our room… and when I woke up you were not there." She said quietly, her voice barely audible. "Are you avoiding me?"

"No. Kale, I-"

"I miss you." She said with a wavering voice. Her black pretty eyes shining with the glow of a few tears. "I don't like when you avoid me."

'Gods… this is unfair. How can I stay upset with her, when she looks at me with those eyes?'' With a deep sigh, Asparus pushed himself away from his seat and walked over to his sobbing wife. "Kale, I love you." He leaned in and planted his lips on hers, pressing them together in a quick peck.

The distressed woman looked at him with wide eyes, she grabbed his waist and pulled him closer. "But, you are-"

"I was angry, that was before. I'm not angry anymore." He kneeled in front of her chair and placed his face on top of her thighs. "You didn't find me on our bed, because I was never there… I didn't sleep yesterday."

"Why? You know that this is not good for you." Kale pinched his left cheek, making him hiss a bit in pain.

"I'm busy… way to busy. I need to resolve this thing, but I don't even know what this is." Another deep sigh escaped the Saiyan king's lips, he is finding himself doing this way too often recently. "I'm blind in the silence here..."

"Blind in the silence? That is a strange thing to say."

"Hah, is just a way of saying that I don't know what to do. I can't see anything and I can only hear my footsteps as a walk in a circle."

"Then let me help you." Kale tapped the back of his head to make him stand up, freeing herself to do the same. "We can do this together, then you won't need to stay up all night long."

"No… That I can't do."

"Why?! I always help you… we always do things together." Kale raised her voice for the first time, surprising Asparus with her outburst.

"This is different, I don't want you getting close to this." Asparus replied with a stern voice.

"And I don't want you doing this alone."

"Kale… please. I can't afford to-"

"No, now I will stay and help. You like it or not." With a large pout showing up, Kale stomped her way to Asparus large chair and sat at it angrily. Without her husband consent, she began to dabble over the documents in his desks barely understanding half of it, but she kept going either way.

"Wow, what happened to the shy and sorry Kale that was here a second ago?"

"I thought you were upset with me… because of that day. However, you are not. Now I'm the one upset, so no more sorry Kale." She picked up one of the documents and brought it closer to her face. "Three shadow kings… What is this?" Kale read a particular line that someone circled various times with a red marker; she then looked at Asparus with a confused look.

"This is a figure of speech, a way of calling someone that we have no idea who they are." Asparus walked over Kale and took the paper out of her hands. "This is the reason behind my 'blindness'."

"You know, maybe all that you need is a new pair of eyes looking at it… someone with a different perspective." Kale tilted her head to the side just a bit and gave him a warm smile. "The answer can be right in front of you, Right?"

Asparus shook his head in defeat, letting another deep sigh escape his lips. "Maybe you are right. Just promise me that you will only help me on this paper stuff, no wild or heroic adventures this time, okay?"

"Geez, look how many papers we have here… where to start? Hm…" Kale completely ignored Asparus plead, moving her attention to his large desk.

"Going to ignore me, are you? By the gods, you couldn't be more like my mother even if you tried." His little comment also went without response, with Kale just reading the papers with a silly little smirk on the side of her mouth, showing that she knows exactly what she is doing. "That is, now you've done it." In his playful frustration, Asparus jumped onto Kale bombarding her with tickles at her belly and at her sides, the exact spots that her husband knows all so well where are sensible.

"Wait- Hahaha, Asparus, stop! That tickles hahaha." She squirmed on her seat, trying to dodge his tickling fingers, but had no luck on that, in her attempts to break away from his hold; she only made him lean even closer to her.

"What was that? You said that you stop ignoring me, was that it?"

"I didn't say that." Kale said between giggles.

"Oh, you…"

* * *

With that, the royal couple started their investigation together. Well, it will take a few more minutes before they actually start working together in anything since their teasing and flirting can go on for quite some time if nobody stops them. Moreover, Kale has earned herself a full session of teasing, that Asparus is well determined to see it through. Between tickles and kisses, the two of them immersed themselves in a little world just of their own.

With the sun reaching its highest point, most people are taking time from their duties to relieve the stress on a pretty famous place. While this building is not really a full restaurant, it serves a few side dishes and snacks; however, their drinks, mostly alcohol beverages, are the main attraction that makes it so busy and full of clients.

And with no surprises, the most frequent clients coming in, are the hard-working soldiers of the defense force. Of course, that is not proper or really allowed by the commanding officers, but is not like that would stop anyone from enjoying their free time on their favorite spot.

With the majority of people around being soldiers, it's a given that the place is not only as lively as possible but also filled with loud voices and laughs. And at this moment, one voice is the loudest of them all.

"A sister-branch of the army then? No, no, wait, I know… You guys are from the countryside." A very big Saiyan woman stormed her voice very loudly, making everyone hear her babblings.

"Ah… no. Kind of…" Responded one of the two men, that the female soldier is accosting so fervently. "You know… we don't live on Sadala. My brother and I, we just came by to see our home planet… that's all." His brother nodded with his head but ushered no words in response.

This little group of four people, consisting of two soldier and two civilians, are sitting together around a large round table. The two civilians have an afraid look on their eyes, both behaving like scared critters surrounded by predators. With the female soldier eying them every so passionately while trying to make a conversation flow between them. The other soldier, however, is this enjoying a little snack and a soft drink, not engaging with any of the other three in any way or form.

"Outside Saiyans?! That is so cool. It's really rare to see people like you guys." The woman said shifting her seat closer to one of the young men. "I can give you guys a tour… show you the interesting spots, even the central building of the Defense Force. I'm a soldier, you know. Elite Soldier." She said with a little wink.

"Oh, that… That would be nice; I mean we appreciate your offer, but…" The man twiddling with his thumbs looked at her disappointed look and panicked. "No, look we have to go. It's no, I mean, it's not because of you… We really have to go. Sorry." With unparalleled haste, the pair of brothers jumped from their seats and dashed out of the place like that was no tomorrow.

"Wait, guys…" Cavassa let out a heavy sigh. "Did I say anything wrong?"

Aonori choked on his liquor, his cup almost flying out of his hand. "Nuo- I mean no." He cleared his throat properly and wiped the little bit of drink that spilled over his shirt. "I guess they are not used to see a strong warrior like you. Your pretty face and warm personality intimidated them."

"Ah… sometimes is just so hard being too pretty." Cavassa pushed her back against the sturdy chair and sighed again.

'Talk about high self-esteem… But is not like I will say anything… Olly would kill me if I broke her sister's heart.' Aonori dreaded the thought of his girlfriend kicking his butt into the dust; he shooed the images away shaking his head a few times, then he diverted his attention back to the cup at his hand.

"You know what? We just got here, there's a lot more fish on the sea for me to grab." She clapped both of her hands in her cheeks, getting a renewed determination in the light of her eyes. "Let's see what we can find here… Aonori, help me with this."

"Don't wanna… Checking out other guys is not on my fun things to do list."

"After all that we went through you're going to abandon me like th-" Cavassa suddenly stopped and shifted around on her chair, hiding her face behind her hands. "Crap, crap… I'm screwed now."

"Wha- What now?" Aonori mimicked her actions turning his face to the side just like his partner. Even without a clue of what is happening, he followed his instincts and began to watch their surroundings with the corner of his eyes. "Why are we hiding?" He whispered to her.

"Don't panic… Ok, whatever you do, don't panic." A single drop of cold sweat slid down from her forehead. "Slowly look to the left corner, the table with three vacant chairs."

With his heartbeat going crazy, Aonori did just as she asked. In a matter of moments, his casual free time has turned into a frightening situation as if they were on a hostile ambiance. Slowly his vision got to where she pointed, a single table at the corner of the place. He can notice the silhouette of a person, sitting lonely at the fourth chair, at each passing moment his eyes adjusting, even more, the features of this person getting more and more clear… then.

"What the hell? That is just Lettu." Aonori relaxed his posture, going back to sitting straight at his chair. He gave a questioning glare to his partner.

"Shush! Don't get his attention." Cavassa hissed at him annoyed. She gave a side-glance to the young man across the room, a nervous little smile appearing on her lips. "You think he saw us?"

"What? Of course he saw us; he is right at this moment looking directly at us." Aonori said with a grunt. "Hey Lettu, doing well?" He said aloud, waving one hand to the other guy, who casually responded with a single nod.

"You traitor!" Cavassa jumped from her spot, grabbing Aonori by the collar of his shirt.

With a swift maneuver, the slippery man got himself away from her clutches and got up from his seat. "Let's go say hi to him." Aonori said with a devious smirk, he then began to walk towards Lettu, who looked not so pleased by the self-invitation of the crazy duo.

The big woman jumped on her feet and followed her partner, all the while hiding her face away from Lettu.

"Hey man, it's rare to see you here with us, normal folks." Aonori said with a silly grin.

"You said yourself one day… Nothing is best to scare away bad thoughts than a mug full of a cold drink." Lettu looked over his large cup, now with less than half of it full, and took a large sip out of it. "So here I am."

"Glad to know that you're learning. Whatcha having here?" With the permission given by himself only, Aonori snatched Lettu's drink away and took a gulp from it, his head bobbing immediately after the liquid came down on his throat. "What the hell is this?" He hissed after being overwhelmed with the strong taste of alcohol. "Are you even allowed to drink alcohol, let alone something like this?"

Lettu shot a glare to the man and took his cup back. "Don't know… Don't care. And I'm pretty sure that all of you here are not allowed to drink at this hour." He looked at the drink with a mixture of sad and lost expression. "Just let drown my stupid curiosity inside this stupid drink."

Cavassa and Aonori traded glanced with each other, both wearing a concerned expression on their faces. But each of them with different ideas on their heads… really different ideas.

"Lettu… You know. I was not cheating on you." Cavassa said with a genuine sorry voice. "I was just having a fun conversation with those guys."

He only looked at her with a strange frown, lacking in words to describe what he wanted to say at this moment.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Aonori said right after.

"He is sad because I was chatting with those guys, can't you see?" She responded with her head hanging low.

"And he can see into the future now? Why would he be here drinking sadly about you 'cheating on him', before you had even noticed those two?" With a mocking tone in his voice, Aonori just watched as the realization hit his partner.

"Yeah, that makes sense… Then why are you here drinking by yourself?" Cavassa's apologetic speech faded, giving space to a sudden confusion. "Don't tell me, is this because of another girl." She pulled a chair out and sat right across from her alleged boyfriend, giving him dirty glares.

"Oh, gods… I don't need this right now." Lettu slammed his face down on the table, frustrated grows coming out of his mouth.

"Hahaha, Cavassa I adore you, please don't ever change." Aonori pulled a chair for himself, sitting next to Cavassa.

"What? Did I say something funny?" She looked at Aonori genuinely confused.

"Nothing, I think these drinks are getting to me." Aonori responded with a smile. "Oh, isn't that Coorin and Janola?" He pointed happily to the entrance door after his acquaintances entered the place.

After hearing that, Lettu flinched and jumped subconsciously on his chair. His head jolted upwards and his eyes locked in the image of a certain Saiyan. It was not intentional and he would never want to show this to anyone, but a disgusted scowl appeared on his facial features as he stared intensely at his target of interest.

"Hey… woah. What kind of face is that?" Aonori blurred out after noticing his friend's reaction.

"Yeah, is kind of scary to see you like this." Cavassa said with a bit of hesitation.

'Why now?' The young soldier thought to himself. He closed his eyes in anger and frustration, with a long swing of his right arm, he brought the cup back to his lips and began to chug it down little by little, and finishing all of it in one large gulp. "Gah, this thing tastes like crap." He slammed the cup on the table and got out of his seat. "I… See you guys around. I have work to do."

"Lettu, what's wrong?" Cavassa reached with her left hand, but it got slapped away before she could get to him.

In a cold silence and dread looking face, Lettu walked away from the duo. His legs shuffling between themselves almost making him trip and fall over. Yet with sheer determination or just luck, he managed to walk away without making a scene or embarrassing himself too much.

Aonori whistled loudly. "That was… something." He continued to stare at the door even after Lettu was gone. "I never saw him like that, something serious must have happened."

"Something about the investigation they asked us to do?"

"Maybe. This shady group got everyone riled up." He scratched the back of his head and sighed. "You know, with how he acts and speak, I sometimes forget that Lettu is just a kid. At his age, I was still in training to be a soldier."

A sad little nod was all the reply that came from Cavassa, she looked over to the door again and then to the cup Lettu left behind. "You think he forgot to pay for that?"

"Pfft, is that your concern?" Aonori shook his head; he could not keep a smile from appearing on his lips. "I love how simple you are."

"Someone has to think about the simple stuff." She replied crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"I guess you're not wrong, without simple minds the world that we know would not function." He raised his cup and closed his eyes. "A toast for the simple-minded people, who keeps us from for leaving drinks unpaid. Cheers!"

"Aonori… Shut up."

* * *

Cabba silently entered his home, slowly opening and closing the door so no one would hear the sounds. He carefully paced his steps as he walked on the living room; he noticed a few toys lying down on the floor close to the big couch, little signs of where someone was playing with Corabi, probably a few moments ago. He heard the metallic sound, of what seems like pots falling on each other, coming from the kitchen just up ahead.

'Is Caulifla cooking?' He mused the thought, which brought a smile to his face.

He then proceeded to walk once again very carefully towards the other room, not making a single loud sound with his steps. As he popped up on the door, he saw Caulifla standing over the stove with a big wooden spoon on her right hand and a clean white dishcloth on her left hand. Cabba stopped for a moment, just standing there and watching his face quietly humming while looking over the cooking food.

"You know that I can feel your ki miles before you reach home right?" Caulifla said without turning to look at him. But even so, Cabba can still see a grin showing up at the side of her mouth. "Why are all sneaky and quiet? Trying to play a prank on me?" She asked.

"No pranks, I just wanted to see you. Got so focused on with this idea that I ended up forgetting to speak up." He responded playfully.

"That's silly." She finally turned over, now showing the full smile that she has. "Welcome home."

"I'm back." He replied with tenderness. "Where is Cora?"

"That little girl spent the entire morning playing with my parents; she was so entertained by my old man that she completely forgot about me." Caulifla said shaking her head. "Played so much that her batteries ran out, now she is sleeping on her room."

"And you got so lonely that you decided to cook lunch?" Cabba asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I wish… When I told them why I was waiting for you to come home to have lunch, that old hag started nagging how I should cook by myself and not wait for you…" A huge sigh came from her as she relived the infuriating sound of her mother's voice echoing on her head. "I just gave up and started cooking just to make her stop talking."

"Haha, that sounds rough." Cabba said in reply. His condensing tone making Caulifla frown. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. But hey, since you had such a busy and stressing day, why don't you let me make something nice for you?"

"Like what?" Caulifla looked at him curiously.

With a cocky grin showing up on his features, Cabba slowly walked toward Caulfia, placing both hands on her shoulders. "You know, I could help you relive this stress… with a massage maybe?" He gave a soft push on her right arm, making her turn away and show her back to him once again. "Look, you're all stiff and all. We can't have that."

"Cabba, what are you playing at- Uhh..." The sensation of Cabba's firm fingers pushing against her skin sent a rush of electric feelings on her body, a short moan escaping Caulifla's lips. "That… felt good."

Her cute reaction made Cabba smile even more, he continued the pushing and pressing motions of his hands, hitting more and more sweet spots around her shoulder and the base of her neck, much to her enjoyment. "I know I said this a lot, but I love the touch of your skin." Cabba moved his left hand a bit more downwards, his fingers caressing her back through the soft clothing of her shirt.

"Uhh… Just don't get too excited about- Hah… this." Caulifla felt another jolt run through her body, the palm of her hands starting to sweat. "We are in the middle of the day."

Her words passed by Cabba like a faint gust of wind on a desert, just ghostly whispers that he has chosen to ignore. Instead of showing any signs of slowing down, he moved his left hand down once again, and then moved it forward, reaching with the tip of his fingers the base of her breast. "In a way, is so funny to hear you talk about self-control." Cabba leaned in, pressing his lips on her right ear; the soft whispers making goosebumps run wildly on her entire body.

"What happened to the massage on my shoulders?" Caulifla said with a giggle. "One of your hands got lost, and it is massaging my breast."

Her weak complaint only prompted Cabba to go even harder on it, his five fingers grabbing the entirety of her right breast. A louder moan came from Caulifla, her sweet voice driving him even more on the edge of the little self-control that he has right now. A lusty fever heated his entire body, his blood pumping downwards, making his member rigid and big. Her alluring scent, the soft touch on his hands, her increasingly louder and longer moans, everything making Cabba even more excited. In a glimpse of animal instinct, he planted his teeth on her neck, softly biting her skin. His right hand now starting to move down as well, but unlike the left one, it kept going down and down, until it reached the round form below her waist.

"And that is my butt. This shoulder massage is a lot different from the ones I know about." Caulifla turned her head to the side trying to get a glimpse of Cabba, her face is now completely red, her breathing is fast and uneven. "Goddammit Cabba, I told you that we can't."

"You want me to stop?" He asked with a smirk.

"Of course not. I'm burning up down there… I'm so pissed at you for getting me in the mood like this, but I'm too horny right now to punch you."

"Burning up, huh?" Cabba's right hand slid inside her pants and continued gliding over her thighs until it reached her private spot. "Don't know about that… seems pretty wet for me."

"What an awful joke… Just shut up and kiss me." Caulifla leaned her head backward, turning her face to Cabba and waited for his move.

His response was practically instantaneous; he pushed himself even closer to her and planted his lips on hers. At first, they shared a few smooches, then he went in for a longer kiss, his tongue pushing at her lips which Caulifla responded by opening her mouth and letting him in. This the loudest moan came from Cabba, the taste of her mouth being so sweet… so arousing that was making the man lose complete control of himself, he thrust forward pressing his rock-hard member against her thigh.

"Someone is feeling impatient." She slid her hand down, placing it on top of his pants. Unlike Cabba more delicate approach, Caulifla pushed his pants down, making his solid shaft come out swinging into the air. "Hey there big guy."

That was it; any trace of control of cohesive thoughts on Cabba's mind vanished away as his ragging member felt the smooth touch of Caulifla's hand. He pulled himself away for Caulifla just enough to get hold of her body; he then pushed her over the table and made her rest her arms on the wooden surface. His breathing became harsh as he pulled her pants down and dragged her shirt upwards, leaving her body now fully exposed to him.

Caulifla trembled in pleasure as Cabba planted a series of kisses on her back, she felt something hard pushing against her, making its way in and invading her moist entrance. She gritted her teeth as her insides got pushed open, the feeling of her husband's hard member going in with a single thrust delivering a combination of a bit of pain and exhilarant delight. She held a hand against her mouth, muffling the sound of her moaning and even then, her voice was getting out loud enough to echo on the kitchen.

His lover moans of pleasure made Cabba even more aroused; his movements became faster and stronger. His own mouth betraying him and letting moans and grunts of his own, his entire body melting with the warm sensation of Caulifla wrapping around his length. However, his lust was not satiated with just the vision of her back, arousing as it is. Cabba pulled himself out of her for a moment, earning a sad little whimper from Caulifla, he then turned her to him poising himself between her legs and resuming his thrusting actions from before. With his lover now staring at him, her eyes burning with a lusty fire, her lips red with excitement. Cabba could not help but to go deeper and deeper inside Caulifla.

"Cabba… Ahh… Kiss me." Caulifla pleaded with teary eyes. She felt her insides twists as Cabba's member pushed against a special spot.

Cabba gladly complied to her request. He pressed himself against her chest and gave her a deep and passionate kiss, their tongues engaging in a hot dance around each other, embracing and feeling the taste and feeling of one another.

A shivering sensation suddenly took over Cabba's entire being, announcing that he is almost at his limits. He looked at Caulifla's face and saw her biting her lips and holding her eyes close, more and more pleasured sounds coming out of her. Looking at all signs he knows that she is probably at her limit too. With that in mind, Cabba put his muscled and extensively trained legs to the test. He wrapped his arms around Caulifla's body and pulled her out of the table, holding her body against his own. The weight of her body going against his thrusts just served to add even more push to the action, making himself go as deep as he can.

Caulifla felt her entire body shut down for a moment and then everything came back three times more intense. She used the strength she had left so pull herself against Cabba and bit his neck with a lot of force, making it impossible to her voice to escape her mouth. As she sunk her teeth on his skin, her body trembled in pleasure and a wave of orgasm came out of her.

Cabba felt his lover came and that feeling combined with the tingling pain of her teeth on her neck, just pushed him over the edge. His own flow of orgasm flew out of him, flooding Caulifla's insides and making his legs waver for a bit.

Neither of them said a word. They just stayed in place, breathing hard and holding tightly to each other. Cabba looked at Caulifla's eyes and smiled, she has a look that resembles his own, a look that can say, without the need for words, I love you.

* * *

_**PS - **My god, every time I do a smut scene I always get the feeling that is bad and I shouldn't have done it. _

_**Reviews:**_

VcArchangel chapter 3 . Mar 27 – You know, sometimes I think that the funny bits I do are much funnier in my head, but when you say that they are good/funny, it really makes me want to do more of them.

And yeah, Tuffles are an amazing concept to use. I would love to see the real Tuffles doing something on Dragon Ball (The android mutant ones doesn't count, lol).

poetrymagic12 chapter 3 . Mar 31 – Well I know I've said this before, but. I'm really glad that you left a comment on my story again, thank you. And I hope you liked the scene I made at the end there.


	5. Chapter 5 - Hiding in Plain Sight

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes: **_Hey there, it has been a loooong time since I last updated this story and I am very sorry about it. First I would like to say that I needed to take that break, it happened from nowhere but I felt that was the right thing to do. As I was writing chapter 5 like months ago, it felt all wrong. I was putting stuff down in the 'paper' but I was not seeing a future for it. Just writing for the sake of stuffing things inside. I didn't want to do that to this story, would be a __disservice to everyone who enjoys it and even to myself who is the one writing it. So I took my time, sorted things out and now finally sat down to write this chapter, that is 300% different from what would be in the past._

_I now a long time has passed and I let people down with my huge delay, but for anyone that will still read this, I just want to say thank you for still coming back and still follow this series._

* * *

An ever-growing shadow looming over his mind, a myriad of clogs turning and running in his sea of deep thoughts, the events of his previous days having lasting effects on the young Saiyan's head. Lost inside his own little world, Lettu failed to see the other man in front of him before he bumped his head onto the older soldier's broad back.

"Hey! Look where-" The grumpy Saiyan roared loudly, but his bravado died rather quickly as he glanced back and noticed Lettu's impassive eyes staring at him. "G-good day Lettu… looking distracted today, heh." Changing his tone completely, the soldier laughed quietly with a little drop of sweat running down his face.

Lettu's black eyes stared at the man with an inquisitive look, he tilted his upper body to the side, taking a look at the continuous stream of soldiers standing in front of them. The line going from the great hall of the palace all the way to the first office hallway. "What are you doing here?" He asked the man in front of him.

"H-hey… no need to glare at me like that." The soldier jumped back, both hands rising up in his defense. "Everyone is waiting on the line to get over with the command." Taking his risk, he leaned down covering his mouth with one hand as he began to speak again. "The talk is, that the King has been missing ever since last night."

With his mouth agape and his eyebrows twitching, Lettu glare at the poor soldier even more. The man took a step back, then another one; he can clearly see how the small Saiyan is ready to explode.

"WHAT YOU MEAN THE KING IS MISSING?!" Lettu raged against the other man, all the little steps the soldier took as distance meant nothing when the little Saiyan simply flew at him, grabbing him by the copper cords of his breast armor. "The most important person on this planet has vanished and you all stand here in line?! HAVE ALL OF YOU LOST YOUR MINDS?"

Almost every soldier standing in line, man and woman, all jumped back startled by the intensity of the smaller soldier's voice. They traded glances between themselves, no one daring to speak against the very well-known moody Saiyan.

"Oh hey. It's Lettu!" Aonori chirped from his spot on the line, he stepped forward to stand out from that mess of people. Getting his eyes on the agitated form of hi smaller friend, he waved and smiled. "What's up, Lettu? Getting pumped this early?" The goofy Saiyan laughed as he walked over to his friend.

A pumping vein appeared on the young Saiyan's forehead, his gaze going from the man whining in his hands to the small Saiyan who stepped next to him. Sometimes, Lettu hates with all the passion in his heart Aonori's attitude and laidback style, now is one of those times. "Aonori, what happened? Where is our King? Why is half of the ground force just standing in line?!" With his focus changing from the terrified fellow to Aonori, Lettu let loose the hold of the poor soldier's uniform, the man crawling away from them too as soon as he hit the ground.

Aonori sighed, showing all his lack of interest in Lettu's urgency. He tilted his head to the side and with one hand messed with the bulk of his black hair. "I don't really know. Last night the office was closed, then I came here first thing in the morning, you know to give my report from yesterday, but the place remains closed."

Lettu waved his hands in front of him, up and down, in his nervous way asking for everything that is sacred for his companion to go on.

Yawning with morning laziness, Aonori waved back with one hand, showing that he will continue. "Apparently, our dear King has not shown up ever since last night. He is the one supposed to oversee the stuff I have to report about, so without him I can't do that."

Lettu was more than ready to just jump and strangle the man, both of his hands trembling with their own will to launch forward.

"Oh, yeah…" Aonori said with another yawn. "A search party has been formed; your brother is the leader. They have been going about every corner of Sadala looking for the king."

Knowing that Cabba is on the case has made the young soldier relax, his stiff shoulders loosing out even if a little bit. He pushed two fingers against the bridge of his nose, already feeling a headache coming. "I can't understand how you can be so relaxed with something so serious happening… Where is Cavassa? Did she volunteered to go with the search party?"

A snorting sound came from Aonori, seeing as how serious Lettu was with his question made the other soldier blown up in a fit of laughter. He wailed his arms in the arm, almost losing his balance and going down with his bottom against the floor. "Oh Lettu, hahaha. That was a good one. Cavassa doing anything in the morning, let alone volunteer to something. Haha, you would need an entire team just to wake her up."

Well, if Aonori was lucky enough to not slump onto the cold floor before, he is not so much now. A thunderous clapping sound exploded on the top of his back, a heavy hand coming from behind before he could even see anything. With his forehead grinding against the masonry, his body went spinning away and only stopped when he struck the side of one of the giant pillars.

"So rude!" Cavassa cried out, puffing her large chest forward. "You never talk about a girl like that, even more so when is behind her back." She glared at her partner, who despite his woes, is laughing away the pain. "Lettu… don't believe him." She gave a side glance to the smaller soldier, her eyes large and pleading like those of a puppy. "I would totally wake up early for you."

That was it, Lettu is officially out of patience. He growled loud and clear, showing his frustration. Without another word, he turned away from the odd pair and marched forward to the third hallway, the one leading to the royal chambers and the open gardens.

"Lettuuu…" Cavasa whined quietly, pouting slightly as she went after him.

* * *

Caulifla hid her face behind her hands, the little squealing sounds making a silly grin appear on her lips. She pulled her arms down, as those little eyes glanced back at her features, she popped her lips forward, making a funny noise. Corabi laughed with her little voice, waving both arms happily to her mother.

"You make mom look so silly, Cora." Melting with fluffy with the little sounds her daughter makes, Caulifla leaned on the side of the crib, rubbing two fingers on the baby's cheek.

Turning her head to the left, Corabi waved at the open window, making some more noises as she tried to grab nothing but the wind in front of her. Caulifla followed Cora's gaze just in time to see a shadowy blur descent from the sky, going directly to the front door.

A sweet smile crossed Caulifla's features, she brought her arms down and picked her baby in her arms. "Daddy is home."

Cabba pushed the front door open, he wiped the salty drops of sweat sliding down from his forehead, the pesky things almost going into his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief as the cool sensation of the indoors saved him from the insufferable heat of this summer.

A baby voice sounded from the stairs going to the next floor, a healthy smile parting his lips away as he saw Caulifla and Corabi coming over to him.

"Had any luck finding him?" Caulifla asked. She got closer to her husband, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. Cora went forward too, trying to grab her father's hair with her tiny hands.

"Not even a trace of his shadow." Cabba replied, his breathing fast and tired. He has probably been flying and running around all morning without stopping once.

Caulifla gave him an understanding look, frowning just a bit as she opened her mouth. "How is Kale doing?" She asked.

"She is keeping up a strong face, but I know that she is panicking." Cabba frowned too, the little glint on Kale's eyes when they spoke had not passed unnoticed by him. "I feel sorry for her, but Kale is just being silly." Caulifla smacked the back of his left arm, giving him a reprimanding look. She then put Cora in his arms and walked over to the kitchen.

When she came back, she walked over to the living room with a large cup of cold water. She found her husband already sitting down on his favorite armchair.

Cabba gratefully accepted the drink, letting Caulifla take Cora in her arms again as he held the cup in one of his hands. "Asparus is strong, you know that. If someone tries to take on him, we will notice. Imagine him being kidnapped and no trace of power or ki rising?"

"Happened before." Caulifla said back.

"He was younger and stupid at that time." Cabba said with cold sincerity. "And the guy who did it was using the power of the gods to trick him. I don't even want to consider another god plotting against us… again." With one feverous gulp, Cabba finished his water in one go, a soft groan escaping him as his heated body cooled down some more. "To me is very clear that Asparus vanished at his own volition. What worries me, is the motive. Why would he simply disappear without a word to anyone; I mean, not saying anything to me or to the staff at commands is one thing. But Kale? He would never leave her in the dark like that for nothing."

Caulifla nodded quietly. While she always finds Asparus antics annoying and dumb, she knows the Saiyan king almost as well as Cabba does. He would never do something to make Kale sad. "What are you going to do? At least wait a bit for lunch, Cora cried all morning when she woke up and you were not here."

"I will." Cabba replied. With a big grin on his face, he pulled Caulifla closer and rested his head on the exposed skin of her belly. "I called out the search party for now. Everybody needs a rest, at least for a bit. It would be dumb of us to just keep going without end, if Asparus doesn't want to be found, I can't do anything about it. I don't have a mystic sword that can teleport me whatever I want."

"Hear that Cora? Daddy will have lunch with us." Caulifla cheered up, raising her arms and Corabi above her head. The little girl squealed happily and laughed; her little hands pointed down at Cabba.

Cabba got up and picked Cora again, the girl bringing her head forward and biting his chin with her toothless little mouth. A generous laugh echoed from goofy grinning father, he pulled Cora back just to blow at her little belly, the baby laughing away with joy. "Daddy will spend the entire afternoon with his two favorite girls. Imagine if I would go back to the palace right now, haha. Your uncle must be tearing that place down right now."

A devilish smirk crossed Caulifla's face. She can just picture her little brother going ram with this Asparus crisis. "You play with her while I finish everything in the kitchen." The dotting mother leaned down kissing the little baby's head, to which Cora turned to her and smiled.

As Caulifla turned to leave, a strong hand grabbed her by the arms and made her turn back. Cabba got close, close enough to feel her breathing against the skin of his face. First, he grazed his lips against her soft cheeks, he felt Caulifla's sweet scent invading his senses, he smiled. Then, he brought his nose against her, nuzzling it with caring touches. Finally, after teasing Caulifla for long enough, he went in and took her lips in a long and passionate kiss.

"I love you." Cabba whispered sweet words against his wife's lips, Caulifla getting a faint tint of red on her cheeks.

"Y-You…" Caulifla stuttered just for a moment, her eyes enamored with his black ones. "You really have grown cocky with the years, huh?" She pinched the tip of his nose with two fingers and giggled at his pained hiss. "I love you too, stupid."

* * *

"Want to go in there?" Janola gave his partner an odd look. The tall Saiyan is resting his back against the large doorway of the palace entrance, with Coorin standing at his left side, completely out of vision from who is inside.

Slowly edging in closer to the massive door, Coorin gave a little peek inside. He saw a group of soldiers, all grouped together in a giant square, in front of them is a small Saiyan, his voice and severe speech making up for his lack of height.

"Lettu is going on with his speeches again…" Coorin winced, slowly backing away from his spot. "I don't wanna. He is worse than the previous king… he never stops."

"Look at him, he looks adorable with that 'I will kill you face'. How come everyone is afraid of him?" Janola chuckled. Yet he can swear Lettu spared a quick glance his way as if the boy had heard him.

"Yeah, you go there and tell him that." Coorin sat down against the pristine grass of the courtyard. "Cabba was strict at his age too, but he was goofy and trusted strangers way too easily. His brother on the other hand… he is like a grumpy veteran with every fiber of his being made of distrust and side-glances."

Janola glanced back to the interior of the grand hall, this time Lettu is very openly staring at him. The usual frown present in his features all too well. "Jeez… that boy needs to learn how to chill. So, now that Cabba called the operation out for the moment. What you want to do?"

"I want to eat. Let's grab something in that bar we found last week." Coorin beamed happily. His taste buds tingling just from thinking about the sandwich he ate there one day.

"Sure, you treat this time." Janola smirk as his partner pouted and raised a hand ready to protest. "No 'I forgot my wallet' today. I had the generosity of bringing it for you." He pulled the dark cerulean wallet from one of his pockets, dangling the damned thing in front of the smaller Saiyan.

Bouncing up from the ground, Coorin tried to snatch the thing away from his partner's grasp, only to fail and swipe the wind. He went red with his usual temper as Janola sneered at his fail attempt, so he decided to do the reasonable thing to do. Blast the taller solder in the chest with a fully charged ki ball.

"T-totally uncalled for…" Janola growled from the hole he found himself in. For the second time this month, Coorin has damaged another property of the army, now even worse as he gaped a crack onto the royal palace' wall. Still, the small Saiyan doesn't look too worried about the repercussion of his actions, since he will probably beg Janola to share the bill with him.

Janola pulled himself out of the not so cozy hole, he stared down at the innocent-looking Coorin, as he dusted the bits of rock from his pants and chest armor.

"Good afternoon." A cool, melodic voice called the two of them. "Pardon my intrusion, but is this where I can find the Saiyan King?" The owner of such a calming and entrancing voice is a man, as tall as Janola, but a lot thinner and lean with a certain elegance on his stature. His skin is very pale but looks as smooth as a piece of silk, his milky straight hair is red as ruby and his eyes are sharp, pretty with a certain glow in its yellow color.

The pair glanced to the newcomer, Coorin frowning and Janola raising a brow. The man smiled at them, still waiting for the reply.

"If we knew where to find him, then this day would be a lot easier." Coorin responded with his usual way of speaking to others.

Janola shook his head, still wearing a little grin on his face. "This is the royal palace if that is what you're asking. But you're in bad luck today. The king is absent and we don't really know for how long."

"Is that so? Such a shame… I wanted to at least meet with the famous Asparus. Hum… really a shame." The strange man showed his disappointment in the form of how his shoulders deflated and his pose lost some of its stern looks. "You… Do I know you?" He pointed at Janola, a little sparkle of curiosity showing in his eyes. "What is your name?"

"I don't believe we have met before… My name is Janola. Part of the elite rank of Sadala's soldiers." In mid his sentence, he noticed how the man flinted at the mention of his name. With that, Janola gave his partner a quick glance, just to see Coorin already getting up and ready to push the other man away.

"Janola… Nice to meet you then." The man replied with a bright friendly smile, his features showing nothing more than beaming innocence. He extended his hand to the bulky Saiyan, who stared at it for a few moments before taking in on his strong grip.

"Yeah, yeah. Niceties and all that. I am here too you know." Coorin jumped in, literally, getting between Janola and the stranger. Until now, he was being just ignored as an unnoticed shadow at the corner. Little did the feminine soldier know, as when he finally managed to steal the man's attention to himself, he wanted nothing more than being forgotten right away.

Those yellow eyes fixated on him with an overwhelming intensity. A gaze filled with malice, a deep hunger flashing on that goldish glow. The man who looked as innocent as a child has now expression that is almost unrecognizable. A mix of pure disdain together with an unending fascination; if eyes could steal someone's soul, those eyes would have robbed Coorin right then and there.

His blood turning cold and his entire body shivering, Janola took his partner's arm and pulled him back. This time, the tall soldier getting in between the two. And with that, the stranger's features went back to its normal, peaceful and innocent as it could be.

"Anyway... give a message to your sovereign if you will." The red-haired cleared his throat, rubbing the side of his neck in a little awkward movement. "Tell him that those which he is looking for will come for him." He chuckled as if remembering a funny joke. "Kinda funny to see that he is as elusive to us as we are to him. Well, I will not bother you two anymore. Have a splendid day." With a cordial bow, the man turned around and elegantly made his way back to the main square outside the courtyard.

"What a freak… the way he looked at me. I can still feel the chill up my spine." Coorin said quietly, still hiding behind his partner and lover.

Janola said nothing; he pulled Coorin closer to make sure he was still there. His eyes though, never left the figure of that person, staring with all the cautious in the universe until he was out of sight.

* * *

Kale feels sick; the little lunch she had very earlier on the day has already been flushed down in the toilet. With a soft tissue, she wiped the little drool at the side of her mouth; the lingering ill-feeling has not left her. The young queen reached over to the box on the small glass stand at her side, taking another tissue on her hand. This one is she used to wipe the little tears sliding down from her cheeks.

A little click announced the door opening up. Lady Arula walked in, the queen mother glanced down to her precious daughter, and she felt a little puncture on her inside looking at her like that.

"How are you feeling, Kale dear?" She crouched behind the girl pressing her back with one hand.

Kale hummed quietly, giving a shy little glance to the older woman. "It's better now. I just feel a little dizzy."

"Want me to get you a warm cup of tea?" Arula asked. "Maybe I could prepare some of those little snacks you like so much." Kale smiled thankfully but shook her head, her mother-in-law scoffing but not pressing her on it. "Any words on that stupid son of mine?"

At that question Kale's body shuddered, her shoulder jumping high and her head hanging low. "N-no… Nothing…"

"Don't let it get to you too much, little Kale. Asparus has a wild temper, so he probably is trying to get back at us for the other day." Arula stood up, offering her hand to the younger girl to which Kale gladly took as help. "Sooner or later he will show up, and we will make him pay ten times fold." She gave the young queen one of her trademark playful grins, Kale giggling at the older woman's antics. Poor Asparus will have his mind full whenever he comes back if his mother tries to play another prank on him.

"Lady Kale!" A high energetic voice sounded from the bedroom as the heavy doors bumped against the wall. "My queen, where are you?"

Arula and Kale exchanged hopeful glances, both walking out of the large private bathroom. Lettu saw them and immediately kneeled. He waited until Kale tapped his shoulder to get back on his feet.

"Did you find him?" Kale asked, her words carrying a lot of hopefulness.

Lettu looked to the side, hesitant to speak but he chooses to do so anyway. "I am afraid not, Lady Kale. I stood watch on the main gates until evening, no signs of him."

"Then, for what purpose you nearly destroyed the doors?" Arula pointed to the still trembling massive wooden things.

"M-my apologies Lady Arula… I merely wanted to check on Lady Kale." Lettu bowed his head, not daring to show his eyes to the fierce older queen. "I received word that my lady is feeling ill."

Arula rolled her eyes, a long sigh coming from her. Kale just giggled and patted his shoulder again, the boy taking his eyes up to look at her, his cheek flushing red as always. "I am fine Lettu, don't worry. But I am very grateful that you care so much, thank you."

Beaming like the sun itself, Lettu shot his body up, the brightest smile on his lips. "Of course my Lady. This is my duty and my pleasur-" A wind pressure exploded from somewhere far, still the pulse of energy traveling fast enough to reach the palace within seconds. Lettu froze in place, eyes wide as saucers.

Kale brought both hands to her chest, her eyes instantly tearing up. "You felted it too, didn't you?" She asked the brave teenager. "I can feel his ki. Asparus is back!"

* * *

Everything hurts, the smell is horrid, and his eyes are burning up as if he was staring at the blazing sun of noon. "What a pain in the…" After his 'arrival' in Sadala Asparus felt like a bolder to the dusty ground, his back against the earth and dust, his face facing the dotting lights of the sky.

The young king tried to pull himself up, he achieves the impressive height of two centimeters before his back clashed right back down.

"I am not doing that ever again… For a while." He chuckled, slowly starting to laugh but the throbbing pain on his bones made him hiss and growl.

A pair of heavy feet landed on top of a massive rock just a few paces behind Asparus head. "Not doing what exactly?" Cabba called out.

In a herculean effort to move, Asparus turned his head upwards to look at his friend. He saw the disapproving look on the soldier's face, that visage made him TRY to laugh some more, just to hiss with pain again.

"Hey there friend, missed me?" The young king said playfully.

Cabba snorted, shaking his head as he stepped forward. "What happened to you? I would say you look like a mess, but… That would be too little to describe this."

Asparus glanced down to himself, his entire body covered with a dark purple goop. Even his hair, that is most of the time straight up and spiky is now pressed down against his head in a murk style. "Some disastrous minutes, that is what this is." He chirped back, still grinning with no worries in sight.

"Minutes?" Cabba raised a brow. "Asparus, we looked for you all day. You've been missing since last night."

"No, what? No way has that time summed up to a full day." He tried to pull himself up again, groaning and panting, he finally managed to sit. "You're joking, right?"

Cabba replied with his head, left and right it went. "Full day. The whole army is in disarray because of it."

Hoisting his sword in front of him, Asparus pushed the goo away from the crystalline blade. He frowned as he noticed his warped reflection on its surface. "By the gods… I passed out for an entire day in that place?"

"You scared Kale pretty good today. She was trembling when we spoke earlier." Cabba walked next to his friend, avoiding all the gooey spots around him, and took a sit on the ground. "Where have you been?"

"I don't know." Asparus responded quickly, but with all sincerity. "Ah… I really don't know." He grabbed the sheath of his weapon from his hip-belt, placing both at his side. "After mother locked me outside my bedroom… AGAIN! I went to the roof of the palace and tried to figure a few other things about this sword."

He gave a quick glance at Cabba, who nodded for the king to press on.

"I can travel from here to Namek with the snap of a finger, just like that." To demonstrate his point of time, he snapped his finger, the sound loudly echoing on this deserted mountain. "So I started to think about it. What is the limit? Where can I go? Would I be able to cross the universe like this? Would I… be able to travel to another universe?" The look in his eyes showed to Cabba clearly, what had passed through his friend's head at the moment.

Looking down at the godly sword, Cabba frowned, but deep down, he feels a massive interest coming up to him of the subject. If Asparus could travel so far, then they could…

"Could you?" Cabba asked. "Can you do it?"

"The truth? I have no idea. I tried, the normal stuff happened. Lights everywhere, body feeling heavy and energy sipping away from me." Asparus sighed and then groaned painfully as his full body ached. "Then everything was dark, sticky and stinking. As soon as I landed on that ocean of dark stuff, my mind just went blank. For me, it was as if a few minutes had passed as I woke up and warped back here to Sadala. But…"

"A whole day. You better believe it." Cabba filled the gap.

Asparus coughed and hacked, his body going down again. He stared at the stars, feeling increasable tired at each beat of his heart. "Maybe I will have better luck next time." He bumped his fist to Cabba's direction. "You didn't get to show your pretty baby to that master of yours, did you?"

That was confirmation enough for the veteran soldier. His dumb-headed friend was pushing himself so much for his sake. He went so far just to give Cabba another gift. That warmed not only warmed the Saiyan's heart but also made his eyes sting.

"You really are something else." Cabba said, a wide smile crossing his lips.

"Asparus!" Kale landed with an explosion on top of the mountain. The queen pushed dirt, rock, and goop all aside as she rushed to her husband. "Asparus, Asparus… You are hurt! Where have you been? I was so scared…" Asparus smiled at the warmth of his wife embrace. Despite the killing pain, he brought on hand to her back and began to pat her ever so affectionately.

Lettu landed right after, the young soldier jumped to his brother's side. "What happened? Where was he?" He asked Cabba.

Cabba put one hand on his little brother's shoulder, giving the boy an understanding smile. "Not now." He said quietly, pulling Lettu back with him as he began to walk away.

The boy is not pleased. A simple 'not now' is not enough to quell his nerves at this point. However, a glance at his Lady embracing her husband is enough to make him give in. Her pretty black eyes giving out in tears as she nuzzles against Asparus's chest; this a pretty enough sight to make even Lettu hardened heart to melt. Turning on his heel, dust rising in the motion, Lettu walked away and together with his brother, they both flew to the sky. They gave the proper space for a loving couple to share some time together because if there is a couple on Sadala that needs a little time away from everything and everyone, those two are Asparus and Kale.

* * *

_**PS - **Coming back, reading everything again, coming with stuff for this characters... It felt so nostalgic, so good. It made me realize how much I love them and the story I made. I almost got tears in my eyes when I went to the reviews of my first story and even this one, and I got to read every message you guys left me... My chest really warms up with each review and reply._

_**Reviews:**_

_I will kinda of skip the replies on this one, seeing on how much time has passed, it doesn't really feel right to write a response. But I can always go back and edit this chapter to put my thoughts on the reviews of Chapter 4. _


	6. Chapter 6 - A Child Lost in Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes:** _The mind eating question of whether I should do a more romantic and intimate scene for Asparus and Kale or not... What you guys think? Should I use this little downtime where nothing so major is happening to give them a little something or not? _

* * *

First thing in the morning and Asparus already has a throbbing headache. Unfortunately for the young Saiyan king, he quickly received the full extension of 'punishment' for his little escape. As turns out, his so trusted executive members at the Defense Force's HQ are as useless as a half-broken stone in the middle of the mountain; at least when it concerns any activities of the army which depends on a royal oversee which for his despair are most of them.

Now he finds himself stuck at his office with a full cup of tea resting on his table, which he has not even touched before it grew cold, and a pile of documents as his impossible task to solve. Still, everything that is bad can be worse, and somehow it is.

Working through the first set of reports, Asparus tossed the stack of papers at the large box resting next to his chair. His feet are fidgeting impatiently as he tries his best to no stare past his desk. That strategy worked until his self-invited company began to whistle loudly and annoyingly.

"Yes?" The young king growled towards the other Saiyan, his eyes rolling up and then drifting down towards that person.

"Permission to leave the planet." Coorin asked politely and indecorum of a proper soldier. However, behind his actions, he is still upholding his brazen and uncaring attitude almost crossing the line of disrespectful.

Hearing the same question for the fifth time just this morning made Asparus close his eyes and rub the bridge of his nose. "Permission denied." His answers getting shorter and more aggravated each time.

A heavy sound echoed inside the large room, the perfectly lined and stacked rows of papers toppling right down, some on top of the king's lap and the rest spiraling down to the floor.

"This is stupid! We have been stuck in Sadala for over a month now." Coorin yelled angrily. Despite the bold soldier pressing forward on his demands, he did step a few paces backward as his king gave him a death glare. "You know this is not our place." He slowed down a bit more at the end, as he noticed Asparus ready to burst a vein at any moment.

"Not your place?" Asparus began, remaining calm and collected on the outside. "If my memory serves me right, I believe you and your team partner have a house at the fourth district of the capital."

"Don't give me that crap, Asparus!" Coorin yelled again. "You know what I mean."

Another heavy sound exploded inside the room, this time much stronger and furious. Asparus' left fist came crashing down so hard on his table that even the floor under them trembled at his outburst. Coorin took two more steps back, now wide-eyes staring at the other man.

"STOP WITH YOUR CHILDISH TANTRUM!" Asparus shouted with a fierce tone. While his voice still doesn't carry the same intensity as his father had when he ruled, seeing someone so carefree burst like that somehow makes it even scarier.

Coorin who by this point was hugging the wall at the opposite side of the room, felt his heart stop for a moment as Asparus stood up from his seat in a violent jolt and marched toward him.

Jalona, who was waiting outside with an attentive ear close to the door, walked inside the room as fast as he could. As soon as he stepped in and his eyes met with Asparus' ones, he too froze and sucked his breath in.

"For just a second, a fraction of a moment. Just take some time to think about the circumstances around you." Asparus began; gaze strictly focused on the smaller soldier. "I will explain this to you one last time. An enemy we do not know is targeting us and we don't have the smallest idea where they are. Thus, I can't spare to thin our forces across the universe while wandering in the freaking dark."

Coorin made a face as he was ready to protest loud and clear, but his body deflated quickly down and his wording came a lot tamer than what he wanted. "But, just the two of us…" He trailed a bit vaguely. "It won't make such a difference."

"Every single soldier matters." Asparus sighed as he cooled down his anger. "Especially you two. Listen, Coorin. I am not keeping you two here because I am afraid someone will attack Sadala. I am keeping you two here because I am scared that they will attack you."

"We can defend ourselves." Janola was the one raising his voice now.

"I know that. You would be the worse elite soldiers if you couldn't." Asparus glanced at the broad Saiyan, giving him a slow unapprovingly shake of his head. "Okay, I will give you two permission to vanish from Sadala at any moment. But before you will have to guarantee that you can take on whatever is out there." He spared a look at Coorin and then back to Janola. "Can you do it? Can you fight against this enemy on your own?" He asked.

The room fell into a brief moment of silence. Janola staring down at the floor with a slight frown on his features, and Coorin folding his arms in front of his chest as he turned his face away from Asparus. Both unable to give the young Saiyan king a proper answer.

"Thank you for clarifying this. Now, please leave." Asparus waved one hand at them, turning away as he stepped over to the mess of papers lying on the floor. "Oh and Coorin. If you come here again to ask me about this... Gods help me; I will transfer Janola to another team and partner."

Hearing that threat, the pair of soldiers winced. Janola staring at Asparus with the look of disbelief in his eyes and Coorin with the straight scowl of terror. Took just another side-glance from Asparus for the two of them to just turn on their heels and sprint out of that room as fast as they could.

A low, soft chuckle sounded quietly in the midst of their retreat. "As if I would do something like that." Asparus laughed just to himself, but his happiness lasted only until he had to crouch and started to pick up the unending amount of paperwork.

* * *

"Can you not?" Caulifla said, her head turning just enough to give her little brother a side-glance.

Lettu unburied his face from the two books he has in his hands giving his older sister an innocent look. "What?" He asked quietly.

As today is a typically hot morning in Sadala, most of the windows of the house are open with the curtains blowing over with the occasional blow of wind. Enjoying a rather cool freshness on Cabba and Caulifla's large house, she and her little brother-in-law are spending their time in the living room, the bigger one on the first floor. At least, that was her plan when inviting the teenager soldier to her house; he is not very so cooperative on his part.

Ever since he got here, Lettu has nested himself on his chair, yes, because Caulifla and Cabba made sure to keep little things at their home as Lettu's, as for him to feel more welcomed and visit more. Caulifla on her attempts to make him cater to her wish is keeping him company for the past half-hour; she has already rolled and shifted at every corner of her largest couch, the impatience getting the better of her.

"Close those stupid books. If you wanted to drown yourself with that boring work stuff, you could have done that in that base of ours." She hissed her reply at Lettu.

"I am making some time for you." With a quick repute, the clever teenager rested his books on top of his lap, giving Caulifla his full attention. "You asked me to come over and my brother asked three times more. So, here I am, giving my lonely sister all my attention and affection."

His little show didn't convince Caulifla at all, even worse the little sarcastic points he made as his voice took an overly dramatic tone in some parts, just made the Saiyan girl frown and glare at him.

"Know what? If that is going to be your attitude, you can go right back to that stupid building." She blurted out angrily. "What is the point in having you here, if you're just going to ignore me and glue your face to that stupid thing?" Caulifla turned away from Lettu, pouting quite heavily as she did her best to no take her eyes away from the wall at her side.

The younger Saiyan sighed. The little 'humph' his sister did as she turned to ignore him, showed how much he has screwed this up. In a little token of his apologies, Lettu closed both books and placed them down at the small table resting at the side of his comfortable seat. He leaned forward and hummed to get his sister's attention.

"Sis… Sorry for bringing work to your house." He started with a mellow voice, his apologetic tone getting Caulifla attention as she slowly turned to look at him, still a little pout present on her features. "There is this enemy we know almost nothing about… I have been looking deeper into any lead I could get; it's almost driving me insane."

"Then drop it." Caulifla said deadpan. "Cabba was just like you. No, he was even worse. But when I got pregnant with Cora, he slowly started to loosen up a bit and stop being so intense about work."

"You forced him to loosen up." Lettu corrected, earning him a triumphant smirk from his big sister. "I wish I could just drop this and forget, sis. But…" He sunk down on his armchair, closing his eyes as his mind lost itself for a bit in thoughts. "Asparus and big brother will not say this out loud, to not scare anybody just yet… But, we are preparing to war, or more correctly, our enemies are."

"War?" Caulifla straightened herself up on the couch, sitting with her legs crossed as he stared intensely at Lettu. "This is the first time I am hearing of this crap. Spill it all out, don't you dare play me for a fool."

Never once in his life, Lettu wanted to punch his face in as much as he wants right now. As Caulifla stared at him with her characteristic demanding eyes, the young soldier heard an echo of his brother's lecture he got just the other day. 'We should keep this quiet for now, least it will spread like fire and things can get out of control. I feel bad for doing this, but Caulifla is included in the group of people that really, under any circumstances, should not know about this.' Said Caulifla is now inches away from Lettu and she is not to just forget about this either.

"Did I say anything?" Lettu tried to play the silly act just to get a strong slap on his arm.

"Spill it out, now." Caulifla demanded.

Damned as he is now, the poor youngster could just sigh his sorrows away. "Please promise me to keep this quiet with Cabba."

Now Caulifla really felt on the edge, somewhat in the literal sense as she scooted to the tip-end of the couch.

"Someone is targeting our troops." Lettu started. "All across the universe, little by little some of our warriors have been gone missing. This started a few weeks ago and now it is getting to a point that we have multiple galaxies going silent, at least in what our communications can reach."

"So those clowns at the force are getting picked up all around and you guys are getting all freaked out about?" Caulifla brought one finger to her pink lips, munching some ideas inside her head. She then snorted and shook her head with a short grin. "I don't get your paranoia, even here on Sadala, the girls and I used to trash those creeps without much trouble." She laughed feeling a bit nostalgic about her days as criminal leader.

"This time is different. And we are not the pushovers from the time you used to 'trash' the foot soldiers." The young Saiyan soldier puffed his chest forward, as always, any insult to Sadala's Defense Force is a direct insult at him. But he cannot lash out as he usually does, considering who he is talking to, so he limited himself to just pout.

"Yeah, yeah… my bad, soldier boy." Caulifla pinched his left cheek, making her little brother frown, yet he could not hide the little smile showing on his lips. "So, what so different this time around?"

"Do you know anything about the Tuffles?" In a half-circle change of his mood, Lettu stared to his big sister, with nothing but seriousness on the glint of his eyes.

"Tuffles?" She tilted her head a little in confusion. "Is that some type of food?"

Her answer made the youngster Saiyan chuckle. "Apparently, the Saiyan, as in our entire race, faced a full-blown out war against a unique foe. Even in the force we don't have a lot of data on this, the old archives served for nothing as much of the details got scraped. But, for what I could gather from the older soldiers… This enemy was ruthless and somewhat unstoppable in their cruelty."

"And this enemy were these Tuffle people?" Caulifla asked and Lettu nodded.

"Asparus' father, old man Vegeta, he was just a prince when this war happened. He fought in there, so did your brother Renso." Lettu felt Caulifla flinch at that new piece of information. She always knew that her brother got injured because of an ugly battle, but not that it happened during a war. "Every time I brought the name Tuffle they would freeze and get this terrified look in their eyes. Not only they talked about that, but every other veteran soldier also had the same reaction. But they claimed that the Tuffles were destroyed on the last war."

"Then? Why are we even talking about this scary enemy?" She stopped for a moment, her playful smirk showing up on her features. "Though, now I wish I was here during this war thing. You're making these Tuffles sound very strong, fighting against them must have been crazy."

"Only you to be thinking like that, sis… only you." Lettu smiled at Caulifla's antics and his big sister smiled even brighter, taking one hand to the top of his head and messing with his spiky hair. "Jeez, how did I not noticed this before?" The young Saiyan chirped in with an eye-smile. "Where is my cute little niece? I haven't seen Cora ever since I got here."

Caulifla instantly deflated to a little bag of sadness. She rolled over to the couch, pushing her bare feet against the furniture's sturdy arm. "My old man came here earlier together with that old hag… They are having some time we Cora at their house." She all but sobbed on her account, quietly blowing his frustration against one pillow. "She will be out until early evening."

"Ooohhh, so that's how it is." An impish grin crossed Lettu's face. With a light push of his legs, he got up from his seat and walked next to the couch, crouching closer to Caulifla. "You wanted me to come here so badly because someone stole your cute daughter away for a few hours." He chuckled much to Caulifla's annoyance. "I didn't know my scary big sister was cute like that."

With a wild spin, Caulifla turned to face Lettu, her eyes flaming up by his teasing words. "That right." She spat out. "I got you to come here, so I could squish you with hugs and get my lowliness away." Grabbing the younger boy by his arm, she pulled him with a lot of strength, practically crashing him on top of her. "Now shut up and get squished."

Exactly as he laid out the premise of her intentions, Caulifla embraced her little brother in a tight hug…. A very, very, tight embrace. Poor Lettu was being literally squished between her impossibly strong arms and her large bosoms.

"S-Sis… Please…" Lettu squirmed around trying his best to break free, only to get an even worse position, now his face buried where he should not be.

"Nop. That is your punishment. Now stay quiet and let me squish you!" Caulifla teased, giggling away as Lettu squeaked in terror. Having so much fun terrorizing the poor boy she has all but forgotten about how much she misses her little girl, even if for a little bit.

* * *

His trip back home took longer than what he desired it to be. The laws of the universe still hold even his people godly technology back, so his ship took an entire day on his trip. Arriving as quietly as when he left, the brilliant young lord landed on a secluded dock with a non-existent welcoming party at his wait.

Yet to his surprise his eyes meet the figure of an energetic red-haired young woman, the girl is happily standing in the middle of the bridge between the docking area and the small spaceport. She waited until he stepped out of his ship and run at him to give him a warm hug.

"Welcome back, brother." She sang with a little giggle.

"Mikan… What are you doing here?" Despite his frown and stern voice, the young man brought one hand up to slowly caress the girl's head.

She quietly pushed back away from him, her round sparkling orange eyes meeting his with a certain apprehension. "Papa is looking for you…" Mikan said, taking her gaze away from his face. "He is really agitated this time."

The tall red-haired man stepped to the side; his gaze focused on the giant fortress lying on the background behind this almost abandoned post.

"Ichigo?" Mikan called out to him, her uneasiness present on her faint little voice.

Her voice prompted the young Tuffle to break his trance and glance at his little sister. Ichigo smiled at her and grazed her left cheek with the outside of his hand. "It's fine Mikan, don't worry. I didn't cross Papa's orders again; I just went on a little trip." His reassuring words made Mikan's features brightened up, her beautiful smile grassing his view. Feeling warm just by her reaction, Ichigo pulled his sister to a loose side hug and the two began to walk towards the building.

"Maahh, you always slip always and father gets angry." She said with a little pout. "What was so interesting this time that you vanished in the middle of this mess?"

His carefree chuckles grinded on the young woman's nerves, her small and lean arm tacking him at his side a few times, just for his further amusement. "Well, I found a radiant gem in midst dirt and mud." He said in a content grunt, his sister tilted her brow in confusion. "Mikan… I met our brother today."

"Nashi?!" She asked even more confused. "So, you're the reason he is insufferable today?"

"Nashi is always like that, don't pin his antics down on me." They both laughed at the expense of their hot-headed brother. Ichigo pushed the door open and made way for his sister to step in first to which she smiled and nodded her head. Once inside, the mysterious young man stepped closer to the control computer of the station and erased the logs of his travel while his sister watched him with a curious but wary frown.

Only after making sure no one could trace his path, Ichigo stepped out of the glowing panel and motioned for his sister to follow him outside the building.

"So, what did you do to Nashi?" Mikan asked again, this time walking a few steps ahead of her big brother.

"Nothing, haven't even seen him for days." Ichigo shrugged. He noticed Mikan turned to face him and opening her mouth to say something, but stopped as her brother raised a hand in front of him. "Mikan… I found our brother. After so many years, after mourning his death for so long, I found him."

At first reaction, Mikan just stopped walking and stared at her brother as if he had lost his mind. Seeing the unfading resolution on his expression, her hand flew right up to her mouth as he gasped loudly. "Ringo? You found Ringo…?" Her eyes instantly glowed with a few tears; her hand started to shiver as a few quiet sobs escaped her lips.

"Aa… I found our big brother." Ichigo said calmly, but even with his strong façade, he is having a hard time holding his own tears.

Mikan jumped forward, grabbing her brother's chest as he clings to his chest. "How is he? How does he look like? Where is he?" She bombarded Ichigo with questions, not even sure what she wanted to hear first. Well, one thing she wants to hear first. "Why is he not with you?"

Ichigo took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he needs to do. It was not easy for him to discover that, but telling this to Mikan is three times harder. "He is well, for what I could see. He is tall, almost taller than me." The girl's eyes widened with that, almost no other Tuffle gets even close to being as tall as Ichigo, but her other brother gets to be even taller than him. "He is living in Sadala, the Saiyan's world." Ichigo felt his heartthrob at the incredulous look on Mikan's face.

"They are keeping him there?!" She shouted furiously, her voice getting the attention of a few individuals how dwells in the darkness of this place. Mikan was ready to burst out in anger and let her voice ran as wild as it could, but Ichigo grabbed her left arm gently, giving it a light pull.

"He is a Saiyan soldier. Ringo lives his life as a Saiyan now, they call him Janola." Ichigo finished, again his chest hurting at the look of betrayal showing on his adored little sister.

"Ringo is living there willingly?" She asked in disbelief. As her brother nodded quietly, his head hanging low, the young Tuffle girl stepped away with pure horror in her face. "He serves those vermin as their little pawn… he even has forsaken his own name for them?" She turned away, her tears now changing to tears of anger and sadness. "Then, my brother died all those years ago."

"Mikan…" Ichigo called out to her, but she just kept walking away, ignoring his voice. "Mikan, he is our brother. We don't know what happened to him."

At that, she stopped and turned ever so slightly to glare at her beloved brother. Never in her entire life she has looked at him like that, even if it is little, she is looking at him with real and burning killer intent. "You may consider that traitor your brother still. But to me he is worse than dust." After spitting those words out, she snorted and turned to walk away again.

"I understand…" Ichigo said calmly, closing his eyes in reaction to his own silent suffering. "Please, don't tell Papa about him." He asked but received no response. The young male Tuffle stepped forward, his eyes jolting open just to stare at Mikan's small back. "Mikan, please. Don't mention this to anyone else. Promise me."

Mikan stopped in her furious steps. She stood there quietly with her back turned to Ichigo, from time to time her shoulders shivering and trembling but she will not cave. She then sighed and raised her head to the always dark sky of this planet. "I promise. I will not tell anyone about Ringo. But never mention his name to me again." With that said, she shook her head and walked away leaving her brother behind with a sad and conflicted expression.

"Thank you, little sister… Thank you." Ichigo breathed deeply, his own thoughts betraying his love for his long-lost brother. With glooming eyes and an ice-cold façade washing his face clear of emotions, the young Tuffle drifted his gaze to the void above him, that blackened sky which used to scare him so much as a child. "I will bring you back home, brother… I will save you from yourself and the mongrels that are poisoning your mind. I promise you that."

* * *

"This is the list you requested, lady Kale." A female foot soldier called out to her queen, as soon as Kale turned to her and smiled the eager woman beamed happily.

Kale eyed the long list of names, then flipping to the second and after to the third page. "So many names…" She let out a nervous little laugh, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by it.

"Of course, lady Kale." The soldier replied with confidence. "As soon as we notified the rookies who requested for volunteers, all of them jumped at the opportunity."

"Hahah… I am so glad." Kale smiled gently, the other girl melting at the young queen's sweetness. "I guess with this, mother's idea of a new unit will blossom properly."

"But of course, lady Kale. In fact…" The girl rubbed the back of her head, feeling shy all of a sudden. "Some of the soldiers in the HQ asked if they could be a part of this project too. In all honesty, I have some interest in this as well." She said the last part with a furious blush crossing her features.

Kale tilted her head to the side, pressing one finger against her lips as he considered. "I don't know…" She said quietly, her words making the poor soldier fall on the ground with the shock of rejection. "Mother asked specifically for rookies. She wants to build a new unit from scratch, and all with new leaves so they can learn new things. A new and different type of Saiyans soldiers."

"U-Understandable, Lady Kale…" The poor soul made her best to keep the mature behavior and not let that glint in her eyes turn into tears.

Watching this girl standing tall and sternly but with lips quivering is a little unusual and strange for Kale. Even after the years being queen, she still doesn't know how to handle so much attention she gets from everyone.

Reaching out with one arm, Kale tapped the soldier's left shoulder and smiled gently again. "I will talk with mother, she may protest at first but I think I can make her give in a little."

At that, the girl shined as brightly as a sun. "Thank you, my lady." She grabbed Kale's hand; feeling swooped by the young queen's kindness.

"Ahem… Excuse me." A male voice sounded from behind the soldier, the tone stern and calm. "May I have some words with lady Kale?"

"Hah?!" The girl turned her head angrily, her glare spewing fire at the intruding man. That is until she noticed that the person standing behind her is none other than. "My king!" She gasped and stepped backward. "Of course, excuse my rudeness." She bowed respectfully to Asparus and then turned to Kale with a very arching bow. "Lady Kale, I will make the preparations and await on your response." She raised her head a little and glanced at Kale's face, who smiled at her again. The girl grinning happily and stepped away from the royal couple.

"I swear there will be a day where I will have to fight half of Sadala just to keep you as my wife." Asparus jested with a non-serious frown to which Kale giggled and bumped him in the arm. "What was that all about?"

"Mother and I were tinkering around with an idea." Kale explained. "She argued that Sadala has a lot of brute force on the field, but little on other sides; such as doctors or even scientific specialists."

Asparus raised an eyebrow but didn't argue against the idea, instead he hummed and nodded his head. "That's true. I lost track of how many soldiers lost parts of their bodies or even their lives thanks to the lack of treatment on the spot."

"So you see our point as well." Kale beamed happily at her husband, ever so glad for his support. "There is so much to be done and a lot to define, do you want the details and a copy of the proceedings?" She leaned closer to him, eyes sparkling with expectations.

"Erh… no, not really." Asparus replied with an awkward little laugh. He noticed Kale's shoulders deflating and her eyes going down to the floor. Therefore, he quickly pressed one finger under her chin and brought her gaze back to his. "This is your project. Well yours and mother's, but that is your achievement, not mine. If you want my support with anything you need or can't do, I will gladly stand by your side."

"You will?" She asked with puppy eyes.

"Always and ever." Asparus replied with a bright smile.

"Thank you, Asparus... your support means a lot to me." Grabbing him by his waist, Kale pulled her husband into a loving embrace, the young couple getting the attention and even a few sighs from the bystanders watching them from afar.

"Is that so?" The young prince chuckled, pressing his chin in a soft caress on the top of her head. "Then should I expect to be able to sleep on our bed today?" He asked half-serious and half-teasing, getting a silly but worried little smile from Kale.

"You earned that right today." She replied and giggled. "I look forward to our night together, love."

Asparus sighed just a bit, somewhat relieved and a bit tired of his mother's antics of kicking him out of his own bedroom. "So do I, sweetheart… So do I."

* * *

_**PS. **As you guys may have noticed, every Tuffle name I dropped on this chapter have a fruit name. I have an army of Tuffles to name, not to mention some Saiyans still not introduced to the story, so if any of you have a cool fruit name, in english or in your native language, feel free to share it with me._

_**Reviews:**_

* * *

VcArchangel chapter 5 . Oct 5 – Hey is good to be back ;D I have tons of ideas to where I should take this story even a few unique twists I managed to come up with during this time away.

But on your question about the new DBS arc, no, I have not been following it at all. Maybe I should take some time and read the manga again.

* * *

Uchiha247 chapter 5 . Oct 5 – Thank you, now that I got this ball rolling again, let's see where this story will take us.


	7. Chapter 7 - Hero

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes: **_I know that you guys will quickly pick this on after start reading it, but just as a heads up, the stuff written in Italic is all Flash Back._

* * *

"_Lower your left arm, take a step back… Coorin we've been through this for days; think of your own stance before watching your opponent!" Ever so gentle and patient in his everyday life, Captain Renso turns into a strict teacher with a snap of a finger, not even holding his tongue in his commentary. "Stop grinning, Cabba! Your balance is completely off. A strong wind could topple you over."_

"_Y-Yes, Master!" A humble looking Cabba nodded furiously, his face getting much redder after getting scolded._

_Coorin is his usual brazen attitude just scowled and stared to the side, but despite his bad-kid act, the young Saiyan boy is diligently noting in his mind every piece of criticism Renso is throwing at him. _

"_Again, from the very start." Renso commanded sternly. The veteran captain paced around those two as they charged at each other, trading blows and tackling their arms together in hopes of getting an upper hand._

_Pacing his right foot forward, inside his opponent's space, Cabba moved his body in and threw an uppercut aimed at Coorin's chin. The taller boy saw that strike coming ways before it managed to reach dangerous proximity, and with a fast spin, he dodged away and gained back some distance from the attacker._

_Successfully evading Cabba's risky attempt, Coorin had managed to gain the upper hand and with that, a smug little grin appeared on his face. He went in, right arm held high in front of his face and the left one staying a bit far behind as he approached his opponent space._

_Right there Renso groaned and shook his head. 'Same mistake again…' He watched as Coorin swoop his left arm onwards in a fast strike, but as his fist was approaching Cabba's chest, Coorin's left leg shuffled onto the right one and his feet swap position in a very awkward way, completely ruining his balance and taking away any strength his punch had._

_Cabba was hit as his legs wobbled around as he tried to dodge and barely moved an inch from his original spot. He felt no pain from the punch he received, but what little force Coorin's fist had managed to stumble Cabba's shaky stance and tossed him down on his bum._

"_Ha… Enough." Renso rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearly upset by his pupils' lack of progress._

_Both Cabba and Coorin relaxed their muscles and let the tension leave their bodies, but both boys are clearly frustrated. The taller one walked over to his sitting friend and let him a helping hand, pulling Cabba to his feet. They glanced at Renso and waited for the older soldier to start his ramblings, and he always went way too long when he got that look on his face._

"_Can any of you point out your mistakes?" Renso asked with a strict frown in his features. "Cabba, maybe you can start this time around?"_

_Nodding slowly with the weight of his failures, the boy stepped forward and looked at his master's eyes. "My legs…" He started. "I lost the strength of my legs after my attack."_

_Renso nodded, albeit, he sighed heavily while doing it. "Getting a solid hit on your enemy is always good, but you will win nothing neglecting your own health." Stepping forward, Renso raised one arm and waved one finger in front of his most obedient student. "A weak enemy will fall by the sheer strength of your power. However, a strong one will endure your punches and they will punch back; a test to your own ability to stay alive. Remember, a true fighter is a master of his entire body, not only a master of his fists."_

"_I… understand…" Cabba said quietly, but after a stern glare from the taller man, he stiffened and blurted out loudly. "Sir, I will do better next time." That got a small grin out of the war veteran._

_Seeing his master turning his attention away from the saluting young boy and putting those judging black eyes onto him, Coorin glanced away and growled quietly._

"_You can snort, puff, groan and kick. That will not change the fact that you are wrong." Renso said at the more brazen kid, his harsh tone chipping away quickly at Coorin's hard-ass act. "As Cabba did, explain why you failed today."_

_With a very dramatic roll of his eyes, the young boy waved his silky raven-hair sideways and began to talk way too quietly. "The ground is slippery and a strong wind blew right at that time." As soon as he said that, he regretted doing it._

"_Stop placing the blame onto other things." Renso rebutted him angrily. "To place the guilty of your shortcomings on other people or external factors will only hold you as a deeply flawed person. First, admit your weakness, then work to surpass them. Now, what have you done wrong today?"_

"…" _Biting his lips in frustration, the young boy stayed quiet for a while, that went on until his teacher cleared his throat loudly in that pushing Coorin to start speaking. "My feet slipped when I tried to punch… Getting… Getting so focused on hitting him in that timeframe, I forgot about my stance."_

"_Your ability to observe and predict your opponent is on a very high level, Coorin. Took me years of real battle experiences to get that good, but your lack of form or the lack of restraining with your erratic movements is completely destroying what advantage your foresight is giving you." Renso stepped closer to the boy and ruffled the top of his long silky hair. "Being flashy feels good and gives a sense of superiority, but you have to work on the basics first. No one can be a master of something big, without mastering the simple."_

"_Y-Yes… Master." Coorin bowed slightly, a slight tint of red in his cheeks._

_Renso smiled to both kids one more time and then turned around, glancing at the spectator sitting on an old decaying lump of wood next to the high trees. "Janola, it's your turn."_

_The young red and black-haired boy looked upwards and hummed in acknowledgment. He jumped from his seat and calmly stepped closer to the older soldier, his face, however, continued pointing downwards, gaze fixated at the ground below his feet._

"_Sorry for keeping you out of the loop, but Cabba and Coorin are a bit far behind compared to you." Renso said to the expressionless boy._

"_I don't mind." Janola replied with a light shrug._

_A small apologetic smiled appeared on the man's lips. "Cabba, Coorin. Both of you step over to the side and watch."_

"_He will spar alone?" Cabba asked with a confused expression._

"_That would be fruitless, wouldn't it?" Renso replied with a jesting tone. "No, I will spar with him. You two stay by the side and watch. Janola is already a master of the standard and basic forms, I want you two to see his style and learn from it."_

_Coorin snorted, giving the duo-color haired boy a disgusted scowl, but stepped aside as his master ordered him to. Cabba just looked at Janola with curious eyes, walking to the side and standing next to his taller friend._

_After the disaster that was Coorin and Cabba's introduction to Janola, the young red-black haired boy stood by the sidelines by Renso's request. Without complaining and without doing many noises from his little spot, the youngling watched as his teacher tried to shape the other two young boys into warriors. Being young himself, Janola is still able to see the boys' movements with extreme clarity, he can also see their blatant flaws, yet he has chosen to keep any commentary he had to himself._

"_Your leg…?" Janola pointed at the older man's limping member, as Renso took his position in front of him._

"_I appreciate your concern, but my injury will be no problem." Renso said calmly and then let out a healthy laugh. "You boys are a bit too green to push me, even with this stiff leg of mine." He walked forward and dropped his cane to the side; the veteran soldier baring a defensive stance, one arm to the side and the other right in front of him. "Come." He ordered with a subtle change of tone, now more serious than ever before._

_A brief hesitation held the young boy in place, he stared at his master with a blank expression. However, as Renso glared at him with small killing intent, Janola threw himself forward and engaged the soldier in close combat._

_Differently from Cabba he moved his legs in impressive coordination, matching every step with the rest of his body, and in contrast to Coorin, his movements are crude, standard and almost lacking any will to them, but every punch or kick is fired with impeccable precision. Overall, the shortest of the three boys is a middle ground between Cabba's explosive attacks and Coorin's quick stances; but being 'neutral warrior', his strikes lack the same sort of fire that the other two possess._

"_Good footwork." Renso compliments his student as the boy dodged his punch. "Impressive reading of my fighting style." This time Renso was the one stepped to the side and letting the boy swing in the air. "You have mastered the basics with outstanding performance."_

"_Gwood footwork… blah blah blah style…" From the little old trunk serving as a stool, Coorin snorted, throwing his gaze to the side in his usual brazen childish. "Show off…"_

"_Yet!" Renso increased his speed while refraining from hurting his bad leg; he dashed forward and punched Janola straight across his right cheek. "What is the point of the basics, if you will is a soft breeze?" Two other punches sounded loud, the young boy trashing his head from one side and them to the other. "Take this seriously! What will you accomplish with a strike as hallow as that?! In a real battle, your indifference will cost your life. Now, come! Punch me like you mean it."_

_Janola shook his head wildly, mild dizziness clouding his eyes for a moment. After the trees stopped dancing in his field of view, he jumped forward onto his master yet again. The boy swung his leg from below, reaching in with a wide-arching kick._

_Again, his movements where impeccable, not even a single moment wasted in its execution. However, he lacked any real ill-intention towards his teacher, the strike incoming fast but little strength to it. _

_Right then, Renso grabbed Janola's leg and pulled him closer. A straight downward punch exploded on the boy's forehead, his world spun around more than twenty times after that impact. The only proper reading of his surroundings that he could get after that was the rough pain in his back as it hit the ground._

"_PUT YOUR MIND INTO IT!" Renso shouted angrily. "What is the point of training you, if it will be all to none."_

_Cabba and Coorin felt taken by their teacher's outburst. Renso complained a lot to them, he nagged and rambled without end. Yet, he has never raised his voice to them like that; he has never glared at them with that much anger in his eyes._

"_Isn't that… too much?" Cabba looked to his taller friend. Coorin just stayed in silence, watching as the small boy coughed his pain on the ground._

"_Is that what you want, Janola?" Renso continued. "You know what will happen, right? What this world wants to happen, what everyone else wants to happen! Will you be a failure?" The older soldier felt mortified by his own words, it was cutting a giant hole in his heart to be uttering those hideous things to the poor boy, but he must do it. Right now, he is Janola's teacher and it is his responsibility to drive him into a proper future. "ANSWER ME, BOY! Is this all that it is to you?"_

_Rolling to the side and getting on his knees. The red-black haired boy held his head low, breathing in an erratic way, his arms trembling and faint words escaping his lips. 'Up… Shut up…'_

"_JANOLA!" Renso's voice stormed inside the little clearing, the angered ring of his tone echoing inside the boy's ears._

_Janola shot his head up, his teeth gritting his teeth with such intensity that they could crack at any moment. "SHUT UP!" He shouted even louder, his black eyes now changed, twisted into that same frenzied yellow color._

_Jumping forward like an enraged animal, the boy hurled himself at Renso in a feral manner. No more basics or stances; he just punched, kicked and even slashed with his nails, trying everything possible to hurt that man._

_While Renso was still more experienced and stronger than his pupil, his speed is nothing of what it used to be before. He stepped to the side, jumped backward and even used his ki to fly in his evasion, but nothing he did was able to shake Janola away from him. It was right then, when Renso landed on the ground, stepping with his injured leg that he winced in pain and slowed down; at that moment, Janola dashed in front of him and bashed his teacher right in the nose with a powerful punch._

_The veteran soldier found himself rolling on the ground and hitting his back against a large tree, the force of the impact arching his body forward and the blood that was starting to flow down just gushed into the air._

_Holding his fist firmly in front of the downed man, Janola only stopped when the stream of blood hit his face; that pulled him back to his surroundings and forced his now dulled-black eyes to look at the damage he has done to his teacher._

"_R-Renso…" He said with a low stuttering voice. "I… I didn't mean it." His left foot took a short step back. "I… I…" Then he turned on his heels and dashed blindly inside the dense forest._

"_That again…" Cabba watched as the strange boy fled away with tears in his eyes._

"_A freak if you ask me." Coorin said with a frown. "I don't get why Renso wants to teach him too, that guy is clearly bad in the head."_

"_DON'T TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT!" Renso shouted from his spot, his agitated voice making the other two boys jump startled. "You should not say things like that, Coorin." Holding one hand to his bloody nose, the older soldier stood up and walked over to his two students. "That boy is hurting in more ways than I am right now. That's why he needs me… He needs all of us." Complaining under his breath about his throbbing face, Renso took a side beside the boys and glanced to where Janola ran. "A life without any love is tough on a grown man like me… I can't possibly imagine what is like to brat with less than ten years like him."_

_Both boys stared at the silent, dark path under those large high trees. To think so deeply about what Renso just said was still a bit too much for them as their minds are not that mature yet, but it was enough for them to see that strange boy in a new light._

* * *

"_When I say your name, step forward and enter the arena." A deep-tone voiced man announced in the peak of his grumpiness, even the look in his eyes shows that he doesn't want to be here. But a soldier has to accomplish their duty no matter their preferences. "Shinso!" The tall lean-muscular soldier called out the name._

"_Right here." A tall skinny boy stepped inside the small arena; anyone looking at this youngling's size would think that he is a teen, almost reaching his young adult phase, but surprisingly enough he is just ten years old just like the rest of the attendees._

"_Janola." The soldier acting as the referee called out to the second boy._

_A shy-looking boy with red and black hair slowly walking inside the ring, he kept his gaze downwards and mostly avoided the gaze of his opponent._

"_Pssht… Look at that, I lucked out on this one." The skinny-tall boy named Shinso said with a smirk on his lips._

"_JANOLA! You better stomp that freak!" An overly excited Coorin shouted from his spot around the other boys. While his voice did little to change Janola's behavior or even where he was looking, it was enough to irritate Shinso, making the tall-boy glare at Janola with an angry scowl. "Stop being a pushover, GLARE BACK AT HIM! Come on, Cabba, help me cheer him up."_

"_You can do it, Janola!" Cabba cheered on, but way less obnoxious than his other friend did._

_It has been six months since the day where Janola broke their master's nose. Since then the boys had learned to accept Janola a bit more. They train together and spar together, sometimes they even eat together when Renso brings them a special lunch, but that was all they did. Janola's social interaction with the two was always restricted to a small banter or something related to their training, but nothing much over that._

_Over the two, Cabba was always the one doing the most effort to get closer to Janola, and he did succeed in some ways. When the two of them were alone, Janola would talk way more often than when Coorin was around; because the taller boy was always picking on him; either because Janola was way to quiet or because, on Coorin's words, he was too much of a weirdo._

_Yet, in their messy way of handling each other, the trio has made a special bond between them as Renso's students. Coorin would often say that this camaraderie only exists because he hates when people pick on Janola, his reasoning is that if people are making fun of him then all three of them will look bad. That is why he is doing his best right now to tear the ever-living patience of this boy named Shinso._

"_Annoying friend you got there, huh?" Shinso said to Janola. "He is kinda pissing me off, so I will hit your face with a bit more force than I intended to. Nothing too personal." He finished with a stupid grin._

_Hearing the annoying hissy sounds of Shinso's voice, Janola rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. But as his head is hanging low, the other boy got the impression that his opponent had started to shiver in panic._

"_Enough talking!" The big soldier shouted and with him being the only adult present, this makes his commanding shouts much more intimidating than what they normally would be. "This is your official evaluation match. Your performance on this battle will be your face in the army's admission process. Lose too badly and you can kiss goodie to any position in the force." The man showed a wide grin, feeling proud of himself for stirring fear in every youngster around him. "Now, at your positions, you two. Ready… Fight!"_

_Shinso flew at Janola with a fervor. The tall-boy had full intention of smacking his opponent out of the arena with a strong uppercut to his face. But he missed the mark by a long shot, the smaller boy ducking below his strike with ease. Shinso went in again, and again, and again; by the time this boy had thrown his twenty punch in the air, his frustration was stamped on his face._

"_Stop running, you rat!" He roared loudly._

_That was it; the moment Janola was waiting for. This boy is way too tall for him, almost twice as tall as Coorin, who is the tallest of their trio, and Janola has a hard time hitting a proper hit on Coorin because of their height difference. To strike Shinso with a meaningful hit, he would have to first, make the boy lower his head and soften his legs' stance._

_Lashing out with curses and agitated words, the tall boy had let a giant opening on his guard. Janola flew toward his rival with unmatched speed, getting right in front of Shinso and striking his stomach with a powerful punch. The towering boy leaned forward with pain, his chin getting at the perfect spot above Janola's head._

_The red-black haired boy did an impressive summersault, clashing both legs against his opponent's lower jaw. By the time, Shinso noticed that his lower face was hurting; he had already bashed his back on the cold concrete outside the arena._

"_HAHAHAHA!" Coorin's laughter echoed inside the junior training grounds of the Defense Force, his voice coming out so excessively that even people walking on the streets outside could hear his outburst. "Look at the big shot, talked that much trash and got clapped without landing a hit." He continued his mockery without mercy, making a teary-eyed Shinso hurriedly jump from the ground and run away from the building._

_Watching Shinso ran with his tail between his legs, the referee shook his head in disapproval and cleared his throat loudly. "The winner of the match." He pointed to the small boy. "Janola."_

_Commonly, a long and loud cheering of the crowd follows the declaration of the victor on any match inside the arenas. Yet, not a single voice broke the silence that followed the announcement, most young cadets stared at Janola with distrustful eyes, some even glared at him. Instead of an ovation congratulating him for his good work, Janola's success was meet with low gossips and dirty stares coming his way._

_Not that he was expecting anything less, the young red-black haired boy just shrugged and stepped outside the ring. If days ago Cabba hadn't made him promise to watch his match, Janola would've just walked out of the building in silence, but instead, he found a quiet place at the corner and sat there._

"_You did great today." Cabba rushed over to his quiet friend's side, holding in his lips a happy smile._

"_Hn…" Janola nodded but did give Cabba a short smile back._

"_Step forward, Nassu and Cabba." The referee called the two next fighters._

"_Hey, it's my turn." Cabba chirped with his usual positive attitude. "Cheer for me, okay?" He waved at Janola and jumped all the way inside the arena, one of the flashiest entrances of the day; of course, the flashiest participant would be Coorin with his murder-explosion landing at the center of the arena._

_As promised, Janola watched his training partner take his opponent head-on. The fight was short and uneventful; as Coorin kept his mouth shut and Cabba's opponent was a good kid but a way weaker fighter. After witnessing Cabba be crowned the winner of his battle, Janola quietly stood up and walked out of the training grounds._

_Stepping outside the small boy could hear Coorin yelling 'MURDER-EXPLOSION!' as he presented himself to his challenger._

* * *

_As a prize for passing on their initial test on the force, Renso gave the boys a small amount of money, to which Coorin snorted and laughed, seeing as his family is rich. So to make things a little more fair to the three of them, their master gave them all a week off from their intensive training and even promised to give a special prize to the one ranked highest on their evaluation._

_Coorin, of course, made a huge deal out of everything and as the rankings would take some time to properly get posted, it all just led to the brazen boy to demand his prize earlier as he would obviously get the first spot._

_Cabba invited Janola for a friendly spar on their first day off, but the quiet boy declined and as quickly made fun off by the always-annoying Coorin. Insisting that Cabba should leave the weirdo to his weirdness, the tallest boy dragged his close friend with him so the two of them could spar properly and share some secret techniques between them._

_Alone with his thoughts and with a few changes in his pockets, Janola took to wander around the capital city. His master's house is a secluded place and since he has nowhere to live but with Renso, the boy almost never went into the more busy areas of Sadala. Well, that and because people would usually frown at him when they noticed his duo-colored hair._

_He would never understand, at least he doesn't see a reason for it. Everyone just frowns and spits as he passes and all that just because he is different. A difference that at each day eludes his mind, either he can't remember or doesn't want to remember._

_With his thoughts wandering away with questions that should not belong in a child's mind, the young boy found himself in front of a little shop. His black-eyes staring at the eye-catching candies behind the showcase glass. His belly growled and his mouth watered as he eyed the little brown bar basically calling him in._

_Taking a cautious look at the people inside, he hesitated to go inside for a moment. Before pushing the door open, he had made his mind to turn away and leave this shop behind, but his belly quickly complained loudly and forced him to enter._

_Making sure to not approach the excited kids chattering with their parents, Janola slowly approached the counter. The poor boy is so small that the only part of him that reaches past the wooden furniture is his spiky hair. He hair a humming and the rustling of clothes._

_An older looking man looked down at him, and to the boy's surprise, he smiled._

"_And what would you like, little guy?" The elder Saiyan asked him with an attentive and friendly tone._

_Getting very shy at the strange display of courtesy of this person, Janola began to fiddle his fingers around each other, averting his gaze downwards and away from the man's eyes. "Hm… the brown one… looks like this." He made a little square with his hands and glanced upwards to see if the man had understood him._

_The gentle grandpa smiled and nodded. He went moved back behind his counter again and quickly peeked right back. "Is this it?" His right hand moved forward, carrying in it one of those little bars that Janola saw, all wrapped up with a thin paper._

_With eyes sparkling, the young boy nodded and smiled without even noticing. He fumbled with his pockets and pulled out the money Renso had given him._

"_No, no." The old man said. "I will not take that, son. That smile of yours was enough payment for this old man here." He pushed Janola's hand down, the one holding the money and pulled his other hand; putting on his palm the candy. "Seeing people getting a happy smile on their faces is one of the reasons why I got this shop. Now, take it."_

_Janola eyed the man suspiciously, not moving the hand holding the candy even an inch. He waited for the shopkeeper to yell at him, accuse him of something or even take the candy back, but the old man just kept smiling at him and waving for him to take the gift. He hesitated for a few more moments and then smiled brightly again._

"_Thank you!" He chirped with the happiest tone he has ever used and deeply bowed in front of the shopkeeper._

_The man smiled and gave him a little tap on his forehead. "You're welcome."_

_Holding his little treasure in his hand and smiling like no tomorrow, the red-black haired boy stepped out of the shop, tongue-tingling to feel the flavor of his candy, but his heart aching with the thought of eating it and the things just ending. With that sweet dilemma in his hands, Janola continued walking and walking, his feet taking him in his exploration quest of getting to know the city._

_In his daydream state, he felt a light bump hid his nose and his body coming to a halt. Without looking where he was walking, he had bumped into someone, the accident almost making him drop his still intact candy on the floor._

"_Yo, look where you're going." A tall young man called out to him, most likely the person he bumped into._

_Janola looked at the man, who is bald as a mountain, and bowed. "I'm sorry."_

"_Aniki! This is the one." Another voice sounded out, this hissy tone ever so familiar. This third person got Janola to fully awake from his dreamy thoughts and look at his surroundings._

_Four Saiyans are circling him, one is that kid Shinso from two days ago and the other three are adult man, some even dressed in the Defense Force battle armor._

"_Yeah… now that you said that he does look strange." The first Saiyan spoke up again. "Hey kid, you're coming with us."_

"_No funny business, freak." A third one spoke up, giving Janola a harsh push on his back._

_Janola instantly protected his right hand, keeping his candy safe from going down. He looked up and glared at the group around him._

"_Didn't you heard him?" The first guy growled, his teeth baring out in his anger. "You better come with us or you will get what you deserve." His patience thinning out, this person stomped forward and grabbed Janola by his arm._

"_Get off me." Janola protested, trying to pull his arm away, but still holding his right one close to his chest. _

"_You freak! Why won't you listen?" The man holding him pulled Janola upwards and punched him on the face. The strength on this person's arms is way stronger than anything the boy has ever taken, his body trembled and shot down on the sideway. The impact of this fall, making him drop his candy on the floor._

_Ignoring the pain aching his senses, Janola desperately trying to reach for his little treat, but a strong hand forced him down, pinning him against the ground._

"_Are you serious?" The bald Saiyan in disbelief. "In this situation, you're worried about this piece of crap?" He stepped forward and stomped on the brown candy bar. "Kid, you ruined my brother's test. This shitty candy is the least of your worries right now."_

_After making sure to twist his imprint on the candy under his foot, the bald man went forward and grabbed Janola by the neck. With his three cronies laughing away as they were doing the most fun prank in the word, the entire group walked inside an alley with the red-black haired boy in their hold._

* * *

"_Come on, Cabba… I helped you with that cool spinning-kick technique. It is only fair that you help me out with this too." Coorin growled loudly, pointing a finger at his friend's face._

_Scratching the back of his head, Cabba did his best to think of something, but his mind was just blank. "Coorin, that is not really my thing." His response got him an even angrier from his friend. "You know, Janola is way better than me with stances. Master Renso even said that Janola knows some different ones he picked up on a book."_

"_But… Come on, Cabba…" Coorin frowned, crossing both arms against his chest. "That kid is not cool like us."_

"_Master Renso already yelled at you for saying stuff like that." Cabba replied with a frown of his own. "Look, we've been doing this for half a day. The sun is already on its own path, maybe you should swallow your pride and ask Janola. He is not that bad, he even helped me with that amazing elbow strike I showed you."_

"_Arrggh! Fine, you won. Jeez." Coorin yelled in exasperation. "What a useless partner you are. What is the point of having you train with me if I have to ask somebody else to teach me things?"_

_Now Cabba was the own frustrated and even feeling insulted. The glare he gave Coorin must have been really showing that because the silky-haired boy sucked up his breath and quickly apologized._

"_Asking Janola is all well and good, but you know where the hell he would be?" Coorin asked._

"_Dunno. But if someone would know, that would be master Renso."_

"_To the old man's house it is then." The brazen boy shouted again, pointed at a general direction that he assumed that leads to their master's resident, which he pointed to the almost opposite direction._

_Having just recently mastered their control over their ki, the duo of brats made their way to Renso's place in a clumsy flying._

_First, they went to Renso's house, and knocked on his door. To their disappointment, no one responded to their call. So ruling out some of the places where Renso would be that they know that he is not there now, the two of them concluded that the retired soldier must be inside the forest next to their training grounds, getting some wood._

"_Old man, Renso!" Coorin landed on the clearing with his lungs already working hard, his voice echoing loudly and clear through the threes._

"_You really like being told off, don't you?" Cabba frowned at his friend again; Renso has already pulled Coorin's ears for calling him an old man, but it seems that the boy never learns. "He doesn't seem to be here either… With a shout like that he would probably be here by now, pulling your hair."_

"_Hey, at least we got something." Coorin said with a grin. "Isn't that our freak friend?" He pointed to a little spot between two trees where a lone foot is sticking out from its hiding spot._

_Coorin grunted painfully as Cabba elbowed him at this side, the taller boy glaring at his friend and waving one fist at him. Leaving his rude partner behind, Cabba stepped forward towards the familiar boots in front of them._

"_Hey Janola, what are you doing here?" His question got no answer._

"_JANOLA!" Coorin's explosive voice echoed all around again. In his crude manners, he stomped forward with all bravado, ready to argue with the shy boy. "Look, weirdo. I came here just to ask you a favor, so you better…" Making the turn on those two trees, Coorin's voice died inside his throat._

_Cabba noticing his friend sudden freeze quickly rushed forward and his face paled when his eyes landed on his smaller friend._

_With his back resting against the three, Janola is quietly sobbing away without making much more noises. His face is a mess of blood and bruises, with his right eye completely swollen and his lips all cracked. On his hair, there is a sticking transparent fluid, more likely saliva from spits. In addition, his arms are all battered and his clothes ruined._

"_Oi, Janola?!" Cabba rushed close to his friend's side, he felt his breakfast almost coming right out after seeing that much blood from so up close. "W-what happened to you?" He tried to touch his friend on the arm, but his hand will simply not get closer._

_Breaking his attention away from his own sobbing, Janola looked at Cabba with his left eye, since his right one is so bad right now. A new wave of tears formed and began to roll down on his cheeks; he whimpered and moved closer to Cabba. Taking his arms up, he opened his hands and showed what he was holding inside his clenched hands._

"_It's bad now, right?" Janola asked sadly. He is referring to the once bar of candy that is sitting on his hands, now a mess of dirty and squished in a thin line. "I tried to save it… I tried… But he stepped on it."_

_Despite his many injuries and possible broken bones, the young boy kept weeping sadly for the state of the candy he received from the old man. Every time he glanced at it, his heart ached a little more._

"_The hell is this…?" Coorin quietly hushed between his clenched teeth. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" He yelled at Janola. "Who cares about this stupid thing?"_

"_I care…" Janola replied trembling. "This was… my first gift."_

_That weak response managed to break Coorin on so many levels that his head stopped working properly. He is ashamed for letting his mouth running wild again, he is scared for Janola and he is absolutely furious beyond belief._

"_Janola…" Cabba finally moved close enough to touch his friend on the cheek. "Who did this to you?"_

_The bruised boy pulled his ruined piece of candy closer to his chest, his head hanging low again. At first, he shook his head; he doesn't want to say anything. This is his problem, something he is used to; Cabba is gentle and kind, but by trying to help, he would only get in trouble, trouble he doesn't need to be a part of._

_Then, Coorin kneeled in front of the red-black haired boy and tapped him on the head, a soft and careful touch. "Who?"_

_Janola looked upwards again, and for the first time since their initial meeting, he looked at Coorin in his eyes. Those fierce black eyes pierce right through his barricade, invading his space and making his vulnerable like never before. "T-That boy…" He stuttered. "The one I fought in the arena… he and his brother came after me. They were angry because of our match."_

_A name, that was all that Coorin needed; he jumped back to his feet and turned to leave. "Cabba…" He called to his other friend, his eyes hidden away by the locks of hair falling from this forehead. "I'm going to kill them."_

"_W-wait, Coorin!" Cabba tried to catch his friend, but it was too late; Coorin flared his ki with everything he got and took to the sky. If his flying before was clumsy and slow, this time he was going fast and straight like an arrow._

_Something doesn't add inside Coorin's head. Why is he so angry? Why does he care so much about this? Isn't he the one that always calls Janola a weirdo and picks on him?_

_Yet, the moment he saw that boy, who always looked composed and in some ways devoid of emotions, crying because of a candy bar… completely bruised and bloodied, yet he was crying because his candy got stomped. That scene flipped a switch inside Coorin's heart._

_It doesn't matter if Janola is a weirdo, if Janola is quiet and annoying. Janola is his weirdo friend and anyone who dares to hurt his friends like that will have to pay._

_His objectives are so clear inside his Coorin's mind, so intense is his desire to completely destroy these punks; that somethings else changed inside of him. He could felt this boy ki's; he had never felt someone's ki before, not like Renso tried to teach them before, yet right now he can perfectly point where this damned rat of a Saiyan is hiding and he is flying directly over there._

_Reaching the capital city, Coorin quickly reached his location._

_Apparently, not only those pigs had beat Janola to a pulp and stomped on his precious candy, but they also robbed him of his money and they are casually boasting about it on the big square in the middle of the shopping district._

_That was the last straw, which pushed Coorin to the limit of his rage. Not carrying that there are four of them there, without giving a fuck that three of them are adults and soldiers. The young brazen boy landed right in front of them with a murderous glare in his eyes._

"_You four!" He called out to the gang of bullies. "Stay right there, so I call cave your skulls in."_

"_The fuck?" The bald soldier watched as that brat marched over to them. "Look here lass; you're a cutie but a bit too young for us. Come back a few years later, okay?"_

"_Wait, Aniki." Shinso clapped his brother on the shoulder. "That is the cretin who kept making fun of me."_

_Instantly, the other two goons stood up from the bench they were sitting. The bald man however continued on his place, while just staring at Coorin with a curious expression._

"_You're a friend of that freak, then?" The soldier snorted loudly. "Should choose your company better, lass. An abomination like that deserves to be-" Whatever he was going to say was completely silenced by a ball of energy fired by a pissed of Coorin._

"_You are the only freak here." He snarled and continued to charge at them._

_If the man had any restrain about hitting Coorin that got scraped right then. He jumped from his spot, fuming with anger and a droll escaping the side of his mouth. "That's it, you fuck face. I will leave you just as 'pretty' as I left your freak friend."_

_The man planned to charge in and tackled the young boy onto the ground. He would step on his back, kick his chest and then punch his face, just like he did the other one. But he would never get a chance to._

_It was not Coorin, nor Cabba. But an utterly furious Renso who flew in from behind his pupil grabbed the bald man by his collar and exploded his back onto the ground._

"_YOU" A thunderclap of a punch clashed on the young soldier's face. "WILL NEVER" This time two more absolutely smashed his nose in and made a crated at the busy street. "TOUCH ONE OF MY STUDENTS AGAIN!" The fourth punch was so strong and deadly, that when Renso's fist collided onto the man's chest everyone could hear his ribs cracking and breaking._

_The commotion quickly grew to bit, the other two young soldiers quickly scrammed after seeing their leader get absolutely destroyed, but a group of more experienced and veteran soldiers arrived on the scene and tried to calm things down. Took the full force of five soldiers to get Renso out of that man, the usually peaceful and calm man is ragging with the same fervor and power that he used to display on his prime days._

_Shinso watched in terror as his brother coughed blood and failed three times to stand up, slowly crawling out of his hole and away from the furious veteran, trashing abound the place, trying to break free and continued to pummel that pig._

_All bystanders also felt scared and even outraged by the older man's actions, all confused and perplexed by such acts of violence in front of everyone._

_But, to a ten-year-old boy, that broken veteran had never looked more heroic than now. Coorin watched his teacher with a new light on him, immense respect growing inside of him for the man that he already followed before._

'_I want to be a hero like him…' It is his thoughts as he continued to watch his master shouted and flail his arms wildly against the soldiers restraining him._

* * *

_Following the huge mess that Renso caused, the boys' break had to be prolonged for another month. The reason now, is that their master is spending a bit of time in jail after his outburst. Despite the facts and the provocation made on the other part, the Defense Force couldn't simply let him walk scot-free after an assault like that; it would set a bad example they said._

_So, until their teacher is out and about again, the trio of friends decided to train on their own. Now with Janola acting a bit more accepting of his friends and even opening a bit more to them from time to time._

_Before, where he would lean to be closer with Cabba, he has shifted his softness a bit towards the other member of their team. Now, whenever Janola is alone with Coorin, he tends to talk more and even ask a few questions of his own._

_Such occasion is happening right now, with Cabba getting called by Renso to the Force's HQ, Coorin and Janola are left alone in their small training ground._

"_See? Ha!, Hya!" Coorin did a flashy move, swinging his legs in two arcs and making a graceful landing where he had left a mark. "Totally cool, right?"_

_Janola tilted his head to the side, not really sure of what to say, so he just spoke the truth. "I could've punched you straight at your back before your feet stopped dancing in the air."_

"_HAH?!" Coorin looked at him outraged. "You can't punch shit. Look at you all beat up still, you can't even spar yet."_

_A cold depression hit the red-black haired boy again, his head instantly going down and his gaze losing its sparkle._

"_Okay, okay… Sorry." Coorin walked closer and sat beside Janola. "I didn't say that you make you sad." He saw the boy at his side shiver with a small response that he is indeed still alive. Watching that made Coorin sigh and roll his eyes. "Here… I have something to make it up for you." He took a small plastic bag from one of his pockets with two candy bars inside._

_Just by hearing that plastic sound; Janola has already lifted his chin and was all attentive again._

_Coorin brought out one of the candies out and took a small bite out of it. "Here, it's yours." He handed the bitten bar to Janola._

_The smaller boy took it, albeit annoyed, and growled. "But you took a bite out of it."_

"_What? You expected me to give everything to you?" Coorin asked him in all seriousness. "Where is my cut?"_

"_Cut for that?" The other boy complained even more annoyed._

"_Did you forgot already?" The longhaired boy took out the other bar and began to eat rather rapidly. "I guess I will have to remind you again. JANOLA! From now onwards I will be your hero. Anyone tries to pick on you, tell me and I will beat them up. Any monster tries to take you away, I will appear and save your weak ass. Because that's who I am now, a Hero! Your hero." After making a dramatic pose, letting the wind blow his hair in a fantastical way, Coorin returned to eat his candy bar. "That's why I need my share." He eyed the almost intact bar on his friend's hand and raised a brow. "If you don't want it, I will take it back."_

"_No!" Janola shrieked. "I want it, I really do." Desperately keeping his little treasure away from his 'hero', the young boy brought the candy to his lips and tasted it for the first time. "Wow… It's so good."_

"_I know right?" Coorin said with a huge grin. "Now, what do you say?"_

"…" _Janola eyed him with blank eyes, candy still in his mouth._

"_Out with it." Demanded the other boy._

"_Thank… you…. Hero..." The poor red-black haired boy almost died from the inside out in the effort he did to say that. But seeing the healthy laugh and the bright smile on his friend's lips made it worth it. 'My hero… huh?' He continued to stare at the energetic longhaired boy for a few seconds. 'Thank you… for being here for me.'_

_Janola quietly moved his free hand to the side and grazed his finger's against Coorin's hand. If the longhaired boy had noticed the touch, he surely didn't say anything about it._

* * *

It has been so long since he had this dream, a vivid memory of days gone from his past. The large man stirred on his bed, his muscles aching with a strange soreness; maybe those wounds still haunt him in some way. Suddenly his throat craved for the touch of water, the dryness almost aching his insides.

Trying to get up from the bed without waking up the longhaired menace sprawled all over the sheets is almost impossible. As soon as Janola pulled his broad chest to the side, a grog groans ringed from his right.

"Janola?" Coorin called out to him. "What time is it?"

The muscular Saiyan glanced at the dark window on the wall. "Very early, you can go back to sleep."

Coorin responded by wrapping his arms onto his lover's chest and making it even more difficult for Janola to get up.

"Coorin… I need some water." Janola pleaded quietly.

The response again, not words, but a bunch of groans and growls. However, Coorin did move to the side and pulled his arms away, letting his boyfriend get up to quell the unbearable thirst that is haunting him.

Janola, however, stopped as soon as he reached the door of their bedroom. He cast a quick glance at the young man lying on his bed and smiled. 'My hero, huh…' A soft chuckled escaped his lips as he shook his head and walked out of the room. "My beautiful and stubborn hero. Where would I be without him…?"

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_**PS. **I have a little question for everyone. On my other fic, I use a bit of a 'side-thing' to enhance the feel of the chapter. Usually I place the name and the link to a song to set the mood to a scene. Would you guys like to see something like that on this story too? Pleas, let me know._

_Oh, and please forgive me if there is a even bigger number of misspelling on this chapter... I'm very sleepy right now, I can barely see what is written on the screen. _

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_**Reviews:**_

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VcArchangel chapter 6 . Oct 16 – Yeah, I've been cooking up this scene with Kale and Asparus for months now... I really need to put this to the 'paper'.

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SenseOnFire chapter 6 . Nov 7 -

sniperchamp1 chapter 6 . Nov 26 -

Guys, about the updating schedule for this story; that is a bit messy for me at the moment. First, I am on the last arc of one of my other fics, a couple of chapter and it will be over. I need to focus a bit more on that to make a proper ending to a story that has been going for almost a year.

When I do wrap up the things on that one, then I can go more smoothly with the updates on this one.


	8. Chapter 8 - Troublesome Invitation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

* * *

'This is so awkward...' Thought the tall Saiyan in the silence of his seat.

Janola is one of the odd members of the force who really doesn't spend a lot of time on Sadala. It's a given that every elite soldier has more difficult and time-consuming missions to accomplish, but on the red-black haired man's case, he and his partner go out of their way to extend their travels to as long as they can stretch it.

Too many bad memories plague almost every corner of the planet, not only for the broad Saiyan but to his feminine looking partner as well.

With their lack of fondness for their homeworld, both elite soldiers have barely paid a visit to their childhood friend after his marriage, let alone enter his new house. Because of that, Janola now finds himself very uncomfortable in the middle of Cabba's living room and with a small baby girl looking at him from her purple stroller.

Corabi stared at Janola with a curious fixation on her eyes, even with that small size, she has her mother's piercing gaze that manages to unsettle even a grown and very tall man like Janola.

Trying to wander his attention away from the little girl's inquisitive stares, Janola let his eyes travel all around his surroundings, studying every little aspect of his friend's new house. He held in a chuckle at the strangeness of this all; Cabba, the most humble and simple of their trio, is the one with the most extravagant furniture he has ever seen in a house.

Strange to think that his friend would choose to live in such luxurious accommodations, or maybe Caulifla was the one insisting on it. That made Janola chuckle quietly, an ex-gang leader; one of the most feared criminals in Sadala getting all worked up because of fancy furnishings.

"Sorry for the wait. Took me some time to find where Caulifla had hidden the sugar." Holding a silver tray in his hands, Cabba walked over from the kitchen, bringing with him two steaming mugs of tea.

Janola gladly received one of the mugs, blowing the hotness of the drink as his friend found a seat for himself on the same couch as the other man.

"Jeez, man. You really took a long time to come and visit me." Cabba said with a playful grin. "Glad you finally found some time to drop by."

The burly soldier felt a stiff smile slip to his lips; Now he not only feels a bit awkward in here but also a bit of a jerk for coming here only because he needs something. "The elites' struggles never end… you know how it is." He replied with a jesting tone, but on the inside, he is feeling as guilty as he can be.

"Tough it is… but not as you and Coorin paint it to be. Ever since you two made that little stunt on the force's building; saying that a planet tried to eat you, no recruit or cadet aims to be elite anymore." A healthy laugh erupted from the young father. "Speaking about him, where is Coorin?"

Cabba gave just a little peek into his friend's way, eyeing him behind that colorless fog coming out of his mug. Well, it is not too hard to notice that something is wrong; Janola has been jumpy ever since he stepped inside his house, now his body is practically shaking as the big guy tried to hide his storming nerves.

"Janola?" Cabba called out to his friend and his voice, as calm and composed as it is, managed to startle him. "Is everything okay?"

Pushing the warm mug onto his face, Janola accidentally burned his lips as the hot liquid sprung up and mildly spilled onto his mouth. He hissed and pulled his head back. "Sorry, Cabba…" He said quietly, taking his gaze to the side. "I didn't come here just to visit you."

Cabba eyed his friend, letting out a muffled snort. "Figured that one instantly." He said back. "You two haven't appeared here for the three years I have been married. Despite always popping up on my parent's house when I lived there." His left brow quirked upwards as a slight frown brought down the other one. "Are you two that afraid of Caulifla?"

"Not really…" Janola replied casually. "I kinda like her. She reminds me of Coorin a lot and... that is the problem." Cabba looked at his friend funny, tilting his head slightly to the side. "You see, they are too much alike. Coorin has a very brazen personality and his nerves are prone to explode easily; He would never get along with himself, so…"

"He can't get along with Caulifla who is so similar to him." An amused laugh erupted from the young married soldier, his crackling voice echoing inside his house so much that Cora began to giggle and imitate her father. "Never thought about it, but you're right. Caulifla would never get along with herself if there was two of her."

"It would be awful to barge into your new house and into your newlywed life, just to bring chaos and a lot of yelling." Janola said with a shrug, a coy grin marking his lips.

"Yeah, nice excuse. I am still mad, though." Cabba pushed his back against the support of his couch and eyed his friend with a more serious expression. "Then, what happened? You said yourself, that you didn't drop by for a visit."

Janola shuffled on his seat, a deep frown forming on his expression. "It's Coorin…" He said with a long sigh. "His father took him."

Being in the middle of a good full mouthful of tea, Cabba spat most of it into the air, his eyes bulging out as he violently shot his gaze to his troubled-looking friend. "What?! When? How did that happen?"

Letting out another sigh, a defeated and dreading one, Janola placed his mug on the small coffee table in front of them and sunk his back onto the couch. "It happened this morning." He grimaces as he started to explain the situation. "It all happened this early morning…"

* * *

_It has been twenty minutes since the stream of hot water began to warm and ease the soreness of his broad back. A few knocks already echoed from the other side of the bathroom's door, but his sore muscles are almost singing as the tension is leaving them at each droplet that graces his body._

"_Janola are you still alive in there?" Now Coorin's voice that pulled the tall soldier from a daydream in paradise._

_A soft groan slipped from his lips as Janola closed the running water. "Done…" He said loud enough for his partner to hear from the other side._

_By the gods his muscles are aching and throbbing, how can a dream stir so much strain on one's body?_

_Drying himself up with his long grey towel, Janola put up his boxers and one of his long loose shorts. Not willing to see if Coorin would just snap and tackled the door down, the burly Saiyan took his towel and tossed up on top of his head as he walked out of the bathroom slowly drying his duo colored hair._

"_Finally." A puzzled looking Coorin greeted his lover as soon as Janola stepped in the small living room. "What took you so long?" He asked with a grin of mischief. "Playing a little with the handle?"_

_A burning red line crosses Janola's cheeks, forcing the taller man to roll the towel over his face. "Aren't you being a little too obscene for an early morning?"_

_Coorin's response was a content laugh. He spun around and walked past his lover, giving a light punch on the side of his arm. "Breakfast is done." The feminine small soldier chirped with a happy grin. "I was waiting for us to eat together."_

_Hearing the light footsteps getting farther away at each sound, Janola stopped for a moment and smiled to himself. Coorin was so agitated with his tardiness because he wants to start the day together; in moments like this is where he finds his handful boyfriend the cutest being on the universe._

_With a towel still adorning his head, the red-black haired soldier took a seat for himself at the left side of their small table. He stared at the basket with small slices of bread and the plate with a flat brown cake cut in a square format. His eyes sparkled with a special glint after seeing that dish, despite his dislike of sugary stuff, that cake has a special spot in his heart._

"_You really like that stuff, huh?" Coorin's comment got Janola's attention, the thin line of drool escaping from the side of his lips making the tall Saiyan blush again._

"_It's special…" Janola replied shyly._

"_I know that…" Coorin said with a certain softness on his voice. "That's why I got it for you."_

_If his face was warm before, now it is a mess of heated colors. Janola just burrowed his face deeper in the covers of the cold-wet towel. "Thanks…" His voice slipped out as a louder whisper, but clearly reached Coorin's ears as the long-haired Saiyan got a smile from side to side._

"_Well, it's always nice to present your loved ones with a special thing." He said in a surprisingly mature manner._

_Still hiding most of his face from his lover's view, Janola waited no longer and leaned in to take a piece of his favorite cake. He poured half a cup of juice for himself and took a bite of the soft dessert._

_For once, a morning day of their lives has started in a peaceful and calm manner, just the two of them enjoying some food at each other's presence. A rare blessing in Janola's book._

_Or so he thought._

_Coorin, who was still grinning to himself as he enjoyed a piece of buttered bread, continued to watch his partner very attentively. In truthfulness, the delicate-looking Saiyan has been ogling with hungry eyes, and not the type of hunger that the slice of bread on his hand would be able to quell._

"_It's nice of you too, you know?" Coorin started another topic, getting Janola to turn and look at him with a blank expression._

"_What?" Janola asked with a tilted brow._

_A devilish smirk spread over the lean Saiyan's lips. Casually and patiently, Coorin slid his chair closer to Janola's; he moved slowly and without much sound, doing everything so he would not startle his prey. "Janola, Janola… don't pretend to be clueless." He cooed with a mellow voice._

_Now Janola eyed his partner with a tingling suspicion. "I don't get it?"_

"_So, you just walked over here… presenting all the goods and now want to play innocent?" Coorin had scooted all the way over from his side of the table to Janola's side, a feat that impressed his boyfriend who didn't even notice the other boy getting so closer. Right in range to enact his machinations, Coorin leaned closer and ran two fingers on the tense muscles of his lover's biceps. "Presenting all this yummy stuff right in front of me and you expect me to not devour you?"_

"_What happened to the 'not in Sadala' rule?" Janola played cool, despite the sensations Coorin's fondness awakened in him, the taller Saiyan has strong control over his urges, not letting his lover's temptations get to him so easily._

"_We are stuck in Sadala until further orders." Coorin replied with a certain edge on his tone, the slight frown on him showing his stance on said circumstances. "It has been way too long and at each day I am feeling less and less inclined to follow any rules." His playfulness returned to him as he resumed his caress, this time getting up from his chair and wrapping his arms around Janola's neck. "Then, we have you. Parading around without any shirt, practically rubbing in my face your hotness…" He purred on his lover's ear, pulling himself slightly back and blowing a little on the nape of the burly Saiyan's neck. "I say screw the rules."_

_Indeed Janola has stubborn self-control in him, but even he is feeling the toll of their extended stay on Sadala. That soft blow grazing against his skin was a dirty move by Coorin's part, the sensation that was created there spread and exploded all over the tall Saiyan's body. He held and muffled the moan, which threated to escape his lips._

"_I know that you want too." Coorin went right back in, this time running both hands on the firm muscles of his lover's chest. He tracked down Janola's jaw with the side of his right cheek, turning and kissing his boyfriend's chin with a quick peck. "Janola…" Coorin purred again._

_If Janola's self-restraint had a physical representation that would be a teensy tiny version of himself opening a small door on his forehead and jumping out of the ship he was supposed to be in control. With a trembling growl, Janola pushed his meal aside and turned his full attention to the young man behind him. His arms swung at full speed to grab the grinning Coorin, pulling him to Janola's lap._

"_Someone is hungry." Coorin teased with a chuckle. However, Janola didn't even grace his provocation with words, instead the taller young man just brought his lips onto his lover's own warm ones. It started feral like an animal, both soldiers fighting for dominance on their heated struggle, but little by little, their exchange got more lovingly yet still passionate._

_Janola pulled back suddenly, much to Coorin's chagrin, who groaned in complaint. "Just so you know; I am not stopping." The red-black haired said with eyes burning in desire._

_Coorin smiled and shook his head. "I'm not asking for that, I am?" He went in and nibbled at Janola's lower lip._

"_Arrg, screw the rules." The youngest of the pair groaned loudly again, this time pushing Coorin down onto the floor and getting on top of him. He kissed, pecked and nibbled at every little spot around Coorin's neck, his lover giggling softly and even moaning when the sensation overwhelmed him a little._

_Feeling this need to connect with his most precious person, Janola sat up and took his hands to the end of Coorin's shirt. The smaller boy eyeing him with a look of pure desire, eagerly waiting for every ministration he would receive. That inviting look of him got him a 'violent' reaction from his lover, as Janola yanked the shirt away and tossed the damned thing to the side._

_His eyes instantly traveled down to Coorin's firm chest, those pinky nipples staring at him with their tasting look. Just looking at them was enough to drive Janola closer to the edge; he promptly pressed down, lips going straight to one of those sensitive spots._

'_Bang! Bang! Bang!' An echoing stream of noises began to assault the house's entrance door, the intensity of those hits almost brining the poor wooden thing down to the floor._

"_This… can't be real." Coorin said with a deadpan expression on his face. _

_Letting out the most frustrated of growls, Janola reluctantly pulled himself away from his lover, rolling to the side and getting back the towel that had slid down from his head. "Are we waiting for someone?" He asked his partner with the most disappointed tone he could muster._

"_Not that I know." Coorin hissed looking towards the banging door. "By the gods, the world better be ending or I will kill the bastard punching at our door."_

"_I don't doubt it." Janola said with a smirk. If the furious look on his smaller lover's eyes were any indication, he would really kill this person given the opportunity. So, to avoid a terrible incident, the burly soldier jumped up to his feet and trailed over to their door. "Yes?" He opened the door with a crude welcome; his eyes instantly traveling to the person in front of him; then his breath got caught up in his lungs._

"_What are you doing here, freak?" A self-imposed royal voice snarled at Janola with scorn._

'_Heavens must really hate me…' Janola sighed in his sorrow; from everyone living on Sadala and prone to interrupt his private time with his partner, it had to be Coorin's father, one of the people who hate the tall soldier the most. "Good day, sir." Janola greeted the man politely, much to his own displeasure._

"_It would be a lot better without sharing oxygen with a grotesque abomination." The man snarled at Janola yet again. This time, the older vanguard stopped with his exaggerated scowl and let his eyes trace the figure of the young man in front of him; At first he frowned after seeing the boy's defined abs exposed for anyone to see and his ticking anger got even worse when he saw the droplets of waters sliding from Janola's wet hair. "How unsightly." The man snorted with disdain. "Can't you even afford a bathroom in your own house?"_

_At every comment, Janola had to muffle a growl from escaping his lips. 'This is my house, your…' He took a deep and long breath, holding the cursing words in a back spot of his mind if he let this little person get to him, then that would be his loss._

_Suddenly, the entry door who was resting close to Janola's back, swung right open, bashing against the inner walls even. A livid-looking Coorin popped by the right side of his partner, his hair a complete mess and his shirt all wrinkled and twisted._

"_What you want, shitty old man?" He snarled at his father, who glared right back at him._

_Soriel is a man of little patience, even more so when it involves his runaway son. Yet, today he has is showing little to nothing in his expressions, no demanding look, no disappointed frowns. "It is time, Coorin." He said calmly._

_The young longhaired Saiyan threw at his father an odd look, a contemplative one. "Were you serious about this?" He asked with a slight frown._

"_Positively serious." Soriel replied with a grin of smugness._

_Standing idle in the middle of their conversation, Janola glanced from Coorin to Soriel, then right back at Coorin. The tall young man feeling lost and pushed away from their exchange. "Coorin?" He called his partner._

"_Stay out of this, half-beast." The older man spat with venom. "This is between me and my stupid youngest son." _

_That unnecessary comment earned the retired soldier a death-glare from his son. But despite his desire to clock his father on the nose, Coorin just growled and turned around. "I will get my armor and we can go."_

_If Janola was not startled before, now he is terrified. He spun around wildly and glanced at his lover's small back. "Go where?" He asked, but got no answer from the other soldier who had already sunk inside their bedroom._

_From behind him, Janola could hear a mocking chuckle, this sound echoing in an irritable ring inside hid head. "Afraid of being alone for a while?" Soriel said in his mockery. "Please, use this time to find another person who will give you their pity affection."_

_Soriel has no idea how close he is of getting a broken, bloodied nose. Usually, Janola is composed enough to hold his animosity deep within his chest but now things are different. Coorin is keeping things from him and just that fact alone is enough to throw the young Saiyan out of the loop and make his temper a bit more unstable._

_Getting himself ready faster than in any circumstances before, Coorin quickly ran out of their room, body fully clothed in his elite rank's uniform, even using his pristine chest battle armor._

"_Let's go, old man." Coorin said as he passed by his boyfriend without sparing a glance at the boy._

"_Coorin?!" Janola called out to him again. But his response was a quiet wave of a hand, a back-turned one as Coorin didn't even stop to look at him again._

"_So long, brat." Soriel said with a smirk and casually turned on his heels to follow his young son._

_With a lump forming on his throat and an ill-sensation plaguing his chest, Janola was forced to stand there and watch as his precious person walked away with the person who hates him the most. A nightmare-inducing scene happening right there in front of his eyes._

* * *

By the time Janola had finished giving his friend the entire story, the pair of steaming mugs sitting at the small table had already stopped fuming and the tea is now warm to cold. The taller Saiyan with all the apprehension eating his nerves away, he is sitting on the tip of the couch, both hands lanced together and his elbows sitting on his thighs.

"That… was a lot of details." Cabba said with a little disturbed tilt of his brows.

Janola chuckled, looking to his childhood friend with an impish grin. "Sorry man, I had to. To give the entire context that you need."

Hearing about his close friends almost going at it was not in Cabba's to-do list, and by the gods, he could have lived without that pictured painted on his mind. Shaking his head softly and waved one hand in dismissal, he continued. "Coorin walked away with his father? Just like that, no explanations?" Cabba asked, eying his friend nod and frown.

"Just like I told you, right now. Our morning as peaceful and lazy, then that gigantic ass Soriel appeared and Coorin just changed his clothes and his behavior." Janola said with his hands trembling nervously. "He just walked away without saying anything… Coorin is not like that, Cabba. We don't keep stuff from each other; we don't lie to one another…" He brought his shivering black eyes to his friend's gaze, his face torn between an angry expression and a terrified one. "Today, he broke that vow."

The amount of disappointment oozing from Janola's last sentence was palpable. Cabba has never seen his friend that shook before, at least, not after he 'became' the Janola that he is today.

"Is this really something that big?" Cabba said carefully and still managed to get an upset glare from his friend. "I mean, Soriel is really difficult to deal with if you're everyone else, but you're not everyone else…" Janola nodded at that reasoning, he is not everyone else; he is just the person that Soriel hates the most for some reason. "Maybe he is just saving you some headache."

"I received word from a contact of mine on the port." Janola eyed his friend with a stern look. "He left the planet with his father… He is fully dressed in his battle armor." The burly Saiyan snarled, rubbing one hand across his face in a nervous tick. "If he is trying to save me some headache, he just gave me twelve… all in a row."

"Putting like that… I can see why you're this nervous. Didn't Asparus grounded every elite soldier until further notice?" After hearing the more agitated squeals of his daughter, Cabba stood up and picked Corabi in his arms, the little girl playing with the collar of his shirt. "You know, Asparus is your best bet to get into the deep of this."

"I know, he is. And that ties into why I came here looking for you." Janola replied casually, pushing his back against the couch once more. "When I got the tip of Coorin getting off-planet, I immediately went into the palace's office area. My idea was to speak with our king and at least get permission to go after Coorin, but…"

"What? Did he say no?" Cabba asked, the young father having to dodge the little pokey stabs Cora was throwing at his nostrils.

"Didn't even get the chance to talk with him. Apparently, our majesty is fuming by his ears; I heard that his mood is so foul that not even Lady Kale is willing to enter his office." Janola waved both hands in front of him with a 'nop' look in his face. "If Lady Kale is scared of talking with him, I am not going nowhere near his room."

"Kale is scared of him?" An outraged look is plastered all around Cabba's face. He can't really imagine Asparus doing anything to make his wife sad, let alone scared. "Jeez, Asparus must be venting fire. However, you don't really need to go through him to get some work done. Just talk with Lettu, he will solve the matter with Asparus for you."

A humorous laugh stormed out from the tall Saiyan's lips, he eyed Cabba to see if his friend was being serious and after noticing that he was indeed serious about that, Janola laughed even harder. "Cabba, you can't be real with this. Your little brother is strict and grumpy when he is normal. Imagine what he will be like when Asparus is furious like that. Your brother is probably worse than the devil at this moment."

"Hey!" Cabba protested. However, he easily reconsidered his own position. Lettu and Asparus share a weird connection between the two. Being pupil and master for years by now, the youngster always gets insufferable whenever the young king is afflicted with anything; so, if Asparus is furious, Lettu is that times two. "Okay… I get it. But I don't know what you want me to do. It is not like I have more sway over Asparus than Kale does."

"Just a hunch, but... I don't think he will blast your head off when you enter his office." Janola rubbed one hand over his neck. "Can't say the same about me. The man's still a bit angry over a stunt Coorin pulled on him."

"Fine, Janola. I will talk to Asparus for you." Cabba reluctantly nodded to his friend, the tall man instantly beaming to him. "Even if I am not really looking forward to hearing his nagging, I'm very curious about this. What could have made him so angry?"

"No idea." Janola sprung himself out of the couch, his eyes traveling over to his friend in a curious glance. "You're taking the baby with you?" He asked puzzled.

"Well, yeah. Caulifla is not at home and I'm the one taking care of Cora today." He looked down, Cora looking right up to him, Cabba could not contain the goofy grin that appeared on his lips. "She is a good girl, don't worry about it." As if she was responding to the compliment, Cora reached upwards with one hand and squeal softly. "Come, let's see what's up with our cranky king." Taking a small blanket from a chair, Cabba shielded his daughter from any wind that might upset her and strolled readily towards the door, the baby in his hands waving both arms happily to go on an adventure of her own.

* * *

"GODDAMIT!" The tempestuous voice of Sadala's young ruler exploded from behind the closed door. "FUCK!" Every person standing outside Asparus' office trembled by the sound of his furious voice, by the second sound echoing from there something heavy in there just felt his wrath first handed.

By each scream and shout; the king's rage increases and the apparent destruction of his working room gets even worse. By the start, no one even dared to get closer to the hallway leading to his office, now every staff member on shift is standing on said hallway staring within a safe distance to the shivering door.

Of course, the only person even standing anywhere near the rumbling office is a short spiky-haired teenager, his crossed arms trembling at each bang exploding from that place.

"How long has he been there?" Cabba's voice ringed from behind his little brother, Lettu feeling a bit startled by the sudden call but his body not moving an each from it.

"Too long…" Lettu replied grimly. "First he was just silent and angry, now he is violent and angry."

"Noticeable…" Cabba nodded slowly. "Anyone has talked with him? I heard that Kale was a little afraid of going in there."

"I can't blame Lady Kale. The way he is now, I've never seen him like that…" Lettu finally turned to look at his brother's eyes, the young soldier having his expression torn between a deep concern and a wave of shivering anger. "I just wanted to know what happened."

A wide smile broke Cabba's lips apart; he stepped next to his little brother and handed Cora carefully into Lettu's arms. "Just one way to find out." He said confidently and walked forward, leaving a Stunned Lettu and an unsure Janola behind.

As the young hero of Sadala grabbed the door's knob, the entire population of the hallway sucked their breath in; apprehension broke loose as Cabba pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Walking inside Asparus's office was never something out of the ordinary for the young elite soldier, they are both close friends and the room has little of special to it; save the singular person who owns it. But, stepping inside now felt completely different from all other times, it was like Cabba was pulled out from his own body.

First, the amount of unbridled rage pouring out of Asparus' glare was overwhelming even for Cabba, someone who has faced sinister glares from some villains. Second, the devastating state of the once tidy office; almost every chair in toppled over, some even broken beyond repair. A large set of bookshelves at the left wall is in shambles, a massive chunk of the thing is sunk inside itself as if a giant fist had pummeled everything in. Moreover, the most disturbing looking damage inside the room being Asparus' own desk, the refined wooden craft bent forward with a giant gash right in its center, the cut was deep enough to even rip the floor open.

"Asparus?" Cabba called out to his friend, putting both hands up in a peace offering. "What's wrong buddy?" He slowly approached his clearly agitated friend, who just stared at him with chilling silence.

"What's wrong? What isn't fucking wrong?" Asparus spat angrier than ever, his back shooting right up as he rose to his feet. "I swear by the gods, Cabba… By the end of the day, I will kill someone."

"Okay, Asparus. You need to calm down because either you do it and reason with me or you will end up doing something you will really regret." Cabba walked even closer to his friend, putting one hand on the young king's shoulder. "Man, even Kale is scared of you." Those words managed to pull Asparus a little out of his enraged trance.

Sadala's king sighed, brushing his face madly with both hands as he growled vigorously.

"Now that I know that you will not attack me out of nowhere, explain what got you so angry like this." Pulling his friend down and sitting him on the ground, Cabba kneeled in front of him with an attentive look on his eyes.

"We got a damned rat in our midst." Asparus spat harshly, his anger starting to rise up yet again. Seeing the growing confusion on his friend's gaze, the young king groaned with annoyance and pulled something out of his pant's pockets. "Here, have a look at this outrageous thing."

Accepting the crumpled and wrinkled piece of paper, Cabba sat down and opened it up, revealing a fancy written and flowery adorned letter. Sparing his eyes away from his friend for a moment, the young soldier began to read it with his full attention.

* * *

_My dear Saiyan King,_

_I reach out to you with a friendly hand, extending my outmost sincere sympathy to you._

_As your one of your many enemies, I've come to acknowledge the great threat that you are, but I've also come to respect your great display of a rule._

_In such short notice, you've managed to shape your barbaric kind into a more agreeable type of animal; yet animals you still are._

_For such, your freedom is beyond negotiation that much I will settle on the table._

_However, by recognizing your valor and prestige, I write this letter to you with a single offer of peace._

_Surrender._

_Give in and lower your defenses. Accept us, the Tuffles, as your lords and sovereigns. Only by that way, I can assure your people a more agreeable life, one of servitude to a superior cause, and spare you race from the grim fate of extermination._

_If you agree to these terms, send every Saiyan battleship to another galaxy and open your planet to us. We are watching you; we will know if you have accepted and complied._

_I implore that you may choose the correct option, and spare both of us a gruesome ordeal._

_With respect and due contempt from yours truly,_

_Ichigo._

* * *

"The hell…?! An offer of peace?" Cabba said with wide eyes.

"More like a slavery contract. Surrender my ass, fucking jester." Asparus snarled, giving the letter on his friend's hands a fierce glare. "Cabba, this was delivery personally by a stranger. This fucking clown landed on Sadala and brought this in himself." Trashing his arms wildly in the air, Asparus vented out his indignation and frustration. "I've kept two eyes on every port on the planet, I've checked every ship that has landed and departed from our atmosphere. But, not even a sign of this one."

"Maybe someone let some ships slip up. It happens sometimes." Cabba tried to reason one possible way for this breach to have happened.

"No. This does not happen, not on my watch." Asparus retorted strongly. "Lettu is the one in charge of that report. Cabba, nothing has slipped by some mistake."

"Then?"

"Isn't obvious? A traitorous rat has turned coat." Asparus' left fist exploded on the ground, another deep hole appearing on his already damaged floor. "As unbelievable as this may sound, A Saiyan is working with these Tuffles against us."

A massive bomb just dropped on Cabba's back. Fighting against robots and even magicians by this point is a walk in the part for the young hero, by a Saiyan betraying his own kind in favor of enemy force… An inconceivable concept inside his mind.

"A traitor... But who is it?"

* * *

.


	9. Chapter 9 - Dawn of Sorrow

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

**Author Notes: **_My lord... how long it took me to finally update this story, jeez. You guys probably hate my guts for being such a lazy writer, but I had my reasons... in a way._

_Those reasons being that I felt uncomfortable writing this story, while also finishing my other fic that was close to its end. At every chapter I felt a hollow feeling, as if I had done a half-done job with this story just to get it out of the way, and I could not continue like that. So instead of spitting out weak writting or boring plot, I decided to put things on hold. And since I really dislike that tactic of updating an story with a "Note Chapter" just to give the readers hope and then crush said hope with a non-chapter, i went with the silent route and got back writing this story as soon as I was able to._

_Again, I am sorry for this ridiculously huge delay. I want to deliver only the best work I can do to everyone that follows my stories, seeing as my grammar is a little iffy at best, I will always try my best to give a great plot and story._

* * *

\- Chapter 9 -

* * *

"Are you done?" One sharp and cold voice echoed within the dreading landscape of a devastated settlement.

The owner of this voice, a red-haired man of a small frame and stature, stared at the unfolding scene in front of him; at this point, the pale-skinned man is more than tired of the wretched sound of agony coming from a poor soul squirming on the ground.

A roaring laugh exploded from the lizard-like creature standing above and stomping on top of the back of an already wounded man. "What's the problem, great mastermind? Are you perhaps uncomfortable with a little blood?" Asked the towering silver and dark-blue Icejin man.

Following the ill-intended words, a wake of dark laughter erupted from the company of soldiers standing behind the Icejin.

"So, what you say, your majesty? Should I put this poor bastard out of his misery?" Asked the massive blue alien in mockery.

While his goons all rejoiced in the 'banter' between the two men, the other unity of soldiers, these standing behind the red-haired man, are in complete silence and not uttering a glimpse of emotion nor reaction at the provocations.

Drifting his stone-cold gaze from the giant man to the suffering victim beneath his feet, the pale commander raised one hand and pointed a finger towards the wailing alien on the ground. A piercing sound exploded in the air, no light nor color, just a sound erupted from nowhere and then the Icejin's little toy's suffering was no more.

"While I feel no need nor the interest to control your whims; We have a mission to accomplish and this little spectacle of yours, is just a waste of our time." Sparing one long and analyzing glare to his 'associate', he then quickly turned on his heels towards the other way. "Oh… It is unbecoming of an 'emperor' to address others with such tittle, even if it is sarcastically."

Having wasted more than enough of his time and wishing to rid himself of such an aggravating company, the red-haired man stepped away with his group of soldiers following right behind him.

"The hell was that?!" One of the silver-clad soldiers yelled loudly, a heated gaze adorning his face. "A weakling like that insulting our master! We should gut that son of a-"

With a swift motion, the Icejin raised his hand and silenced his raging soldier; just in time as the others were getting quickly fired up by their companion's reaction.

"Leave that man be…" Said the imposing giant alien, his gleaming red-eyes watching the other group of soldiers leave. A dark short smile crossed his lips, yet his face showing a faint glow of apprehension. "Fragile as he may look, that devil is more dangerous than any creature in the universe…"

"M-Master?" One of the soldiers stumbled weakly in his words.

"Ignore my musings. Let's us move, there still much to be done in this miserable shithole of a planet." Turning his attention away from the other head of their might alliance, the wannabe emperor turned his gaze to the burning town around him; his lips parting in a content smirk.

* * *

Fear, exhaustion and confusion.

This turmoil of emotions is devastating to any person, to the bravest of heroes to the humblest of servants. To the innocent eyes of a child, this traumatic experience is nothing short of an unbearable nightmare.

The young purple-skinned boy still can't register how his peaceful home, that was so cheery and welcoming since the dawn of the sparkling blue sun on the horizon, is now a burning inferno of flames and a twisting hell of screams and pleas for mercy. For this child, who has never seen even a critter die brutally, to see his people and his home suffer such tragedy out of nowhere is almost too scarring to bare; his mind on the brink of snapping and giving in to the madness around him.

"Dammit… Dammit!" Snarled the tall armored man in front of the boy, the purple-skinned warrior frantic turning his head from one side to the other. "They got the elder... by the spirits, they got the elder…" Trembling in rage and fear, the man for a moment forgot about the helpless boy following behind him.

"Gath?" The boy called out to him, his face showing a growing panic from the man's words.

After seen the look of helplessness on his small companion's eyes, the man stopped walking. He raised one hand to his long face and slapped himself on his cheek. "Zyhn... I know that this looks bad, but we will survive this, okay?" He saw the doubt on Zyhn's reaction, which prompted Gath to kneel and put one hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hey now… when did I ever lie to you?"

This boy is a purple-skinned humanoid alien, hairless as every other member of his race, owner of two large and round dark eyes that mirror the innocence engraved inside his heart. Different from earthlings or even Saiyans, Zyhn and his kin have long knife-like ears that enhance their auditory system. Now to Zyhn specifically, he is smaller than the average height of his rather tall brethren and his build is slightly thinner than the otherwise warrior-type fighters of his race. His clothes are too a divergence of the normal, as instead of hard-made armors, he uses light robes with their bright blue colors contrasting well with his dark purple skin.

Zyhn shifted his eyes to the side for a moment, shuffling his fingers together. "I… You… Never, I guess."

"And I don't plan on starting now." Replied Gath with a radiant smile. "Remember how we competed on who would get to my ship faster?" He waited patiently for the boy to nod, showing a weak little nostalgic smile. "Hah, smart kid. Now, I have to take care of a few things over in the city hall; but I cannot bring you with me… You get that, right?"

"AH!? But Gath, I want to go… Please, don't leave me alone." Zyhn is on the verge of tears, his small hand clutching its hold on Gath's clothing.

Gath, the almost legendary warrior of his people, a tall man with purple skin; owner of a piercing gaze but also a charming smile. He stands tall and imposing, his black-dyed chest armor adorns his large body, making him a fearsome image to any aggressor or invaders. Like every other warrior or fighter of his kin, Gath doesn't use weapons or any kind of equipment to enhance his attacks. As of his creed, his body is his might and the power within him is all that he needs to crush his foe.

"Zyhn… You know I can't. But I can't do my job if I'm worried about you." Trying his best to not pull the boy in a tight hug and tell him to follow behind him, Gath smiled sadly and patted his friend warmly. "You know this place better than anyone else. I know for sure that you can get to my ship without been seen. Please Zyhn, the elder needs my help."

"Okay…" Zyhn replied weakly, but still nodded, letting go of his hold on his friend's clothes.

"Run, Zyhn. Run and don't look back." Gath patted the boy one more time, before standing up and turning to face his destination. "If I don't show up before ten minutes, I want you to use my ship to escape the planet… Okay?"

Feeling more terrified than ever, Zyhn opened his mouth to say something but stopped when his tall friend began to walk forward without a shred of hesitation on his steps. "Please… don't die." He pleaded softly as the glint of tears appears on his large eyes.

"Hah, don't jinx me, kid." Gath replied with a cheerful chuckle. "Get moving, Zyhn. If I don't come back… Leave the planet and save yourself."

Still shaking and scared out of his wits, Zyhn did the only thing he could do in this hellish situation he finds himself in… He ran. He ran away without looking back.

* * *

"So much death… so much suffering… Why?" A feeble and shaky voice cried out, a quivering hand raised in the air, the grizzled old man fell to his knees, his teared-up eyes drifting to the corpse of his people scattered on the floor. "Even the spirits are crying tears of blood over this depravity. You fiends bring death and destruction to our peaceful home, I ask you again, WHY?!"

"Shut up, vermin!" Howling angrily, a silver-clad soldier stormed forward and bashed his baton-like weapon at the back of the old-looking purple man. Not only a nasty sound came out of this aggression but one harsh wound opened at the base of the elder man's forehead, forcing him onto the blood-soaked ground.

"Now, now… don't be so harsh with him." Said the amused Icejin. "We can't risk killing this cretin before he looses up his tongue." Looking at the running blue blood at the trembling man's face, the ruthless commander licked the corner of his lips and smirked. "You asked why you people suffer? I shall enlighten you. Stubbornness, the weapon of the weak and the fatal mistake of dead people. Listen, old fool, we have no interest in you or your barren planet. There is only one thing that we seek and we will go at any lengths to acquire it. The extinction of your pathetic people is only but a consequence."

Gritting his teeth, the elder closed his eyes in pain, shaking his head slowly in denial. "Your kind is not worthy of the spirits' blessings." He raised his head, giving the mocking soldiers around him one fierce and defiant glare. "The stone will never appear before tyrants and murderers."

"Hah!" Snorted the towering Icejin. One menacing sound coming from the ground at each step of the evil monster as he walked over to the weak and injured man. "Then…" Grabbing his victim by his neck, he forced his finger into the man's skin, forcing his breath out of him and even drawing blood out of the spots where his sharp black nails are sinking in. "Your people will die for nothing."

"GET YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM MY MASTER!" From above came a thundering voice, with it, a presence clashed in the middle of the scene; just the might of his landing being enough to explode the lesser soldiers away and towards the ruined houses' walls.

A powerful sweeping arc came rushing towards the Icejin's left side, forcing the evil man to let go of his victim and jump quickly backward. Surprise at the sudden interruption and the power emanating from this new stranger, the evil conqueror clenched his eyes and tightened his fists.

"Another fool comes rushing to the trash's rescue?" He mocked the interloper, a dark aura oozing out from him.

"Master… are you okay?" Gath kneeled next to the elder, helping the man to get his bearings again.

"Young one… foolish of you to risk yourself for a dying soul such as I." The older man looked upwards to his tall apprentice, a bittersweet smile showing on his lips. "Always the brash boy."

"As if I could do anything but fight." Gath replied with a frown, but his lips quickly parting in a glad smile. "We will prevail, master. The spirits watch over us all." He shifted his gaze towards the amassing group of soldiers surrounding them, a burning glare flashing on his features. "And I shall be their fists in this battle!"

Carefully helping his master away from the dangerous area, Gath left the older man next to a ruined but safe building, hastily turning his body towards the approaching group of invaders.

"You're dead meat, purple boy." Taunting one of the soldiers.

"We will make sure to rip your guts out and send you flying straight to hell together with your friends." Another one stepped forward, making sure to show his blood-stained hands.

Contrasting his twitching lips, burning with rage and hatred, Gath remained poised and calm on his spot, watching carefully every opposition presenting itself in front of him. "Vengeance is not the way of our people. But justice is our compass, and today, JUSTICE IS THE WILL OF THE SPIRITS!"

Unleashing his voice with a powerful roar, Gath began to gather his strength, his ki, all around him as a powerful transparent aura exploded around his body. With the air around him swirling in a powerful whirlwind, the young warrior jolted himself forward in a bolting speed. The first punch landed on an unsuspecting soldier, a cracking sound echoing aloud as this green-haired man got his nose pummeled inside his face.

Before all the others could react at the first blow, Gath had already landed behind the second soldier. One powerful sweeping kick came flying from below, blasting another soldier on his back sending him flying towards the sky. Turning into a purple blur across the battle, the young hero bashed and tackled his opposition with ease, an army of invaders soon became a large group of unconscious people on the floor.

Biting his lip in anger, the commanding Icejin watched as his forces crumbled before a single warrior. Were once his army managed to destroy villages and cities without a problem, they are now powerless before one single opposition, and this deeply infuriates the red-eyed man.

"What great power…" The Icejin said with a bitter sarcasm in his voice, his façade showing a confident smirk despite his growing rage. "A warrior of your skill is surely wasted in this dump of a planet and these vermin of people. Say, won't you join my army? With you in my ranks, my empire will only grow stronger."

Still spinning in his motion, Gath gracefully landed on the ground, his body slowly settling down as he stopped face front towards the gigantic villain. "If evil is the seed and soul of your empire, then your life ends today… monster."

Snickering in his malice the Icejin stepped forward and bluntly taunted the young purple-skinned warrior. "Such kind words humors me. But enough talk, I'm currently pressed for time." Cracking his fists and neck, the gigantic creature posed himself for battle, an evil lust flashing on his eyes, a lust for pure carnage. "I will blow you to bits, BOY!"

Flying straight like an arrow, the Icejin wasted no time to explode his right fist forward in a powerful strike. Yet, despite his view of how this would play out, his hand stopped harshly as it struck against the receiving hand of the young warrior. He clicked his tongue and turned a full spin around, slashing in the air with his long tail. Once more his attempt was frustrated as his opponent easily ducked away from the incoming attack.

"Stop running, maggot!" Roared the annoyed evil-emperor.

"Gladly!" Gath stomped his right foot on the ground, the swirling aura around him growing stronger as the muscle of leg twitched with the enormous force put into it. One forward punch flew forward, clashing harshly against the other man's stomach, the pain and impact so great that it forced the giant monster to arc forward, gasping loudly for air.

Two fast punches followed the first one, both hitting true on the same spot and forcing the giant Icejin to crook forward more.

"My people…" Gath glared at the despicable invader, his anger rising at the monster in front of him. "Their lives weights upon you, MONSTER!" Jumping high and spinning fast as a falling star, the young warrior landed a destructive set of sweeping kicks on his opponent's face, sending him flying out, passing through the houses behind him.

The few soldiers still awake or even the ones slowly regaining their senses, all watched in fear and awe, as their immensely powerful master got easily handled and beaten by one of the warriors of this weak civilization.

Before a full panic could rest upon the silver-clad invaders, the earth beneath them began to shake and rumble. The air got denser and a cloud of dust exploded to the sky.

"Curse you…. CURSE YOU WEAKLING!" Raged the furious Icejin, his power exploding out of him, sending the debris above him flying everywhere. "I was being merciful towards your kind… A swift death is more than what you vermins deserve." The once towering monster made of heavy blue muscle and hard white chitin, stepped out from the crater looking a lot smaller. "But you… I will make sure to make you suffer properly before sending you straight to hell!"

Before he could throw in another one of his mocking grins towards the young purple warrior, his eyes got a glimpse of a form suddenly appearing in front of him, dark round eyes staring directly into his soul.

"Hell is the dominion of evil." Gath snarled towards the man, arching his left arm backward as he launched himself towards his opponent. "Where you belong!" Cutting the air and the rising fog, his elbow went flying downwards, striking mercilessly against the Icejin's head, sending him down into another crater on the ground.

"M-Master!" Screeched one of the soldiers.

"How dare you, vermin!" Another one snarled and pointed his energy hand cannon towards Gath.

The young warrior glared towards the standing crowd behind him, seeing the cowering faces of the wannabe conquerors, his rage spiked once more, making him turn and step towards them. "You will share his fate!" He shouted with the full might of his lungs. "Monsters and killers, pillaging and destroying everything in your path. Disgusting criminals like you deserve no mercy from the spirits!"

Using the brief moment of distraction on the young defender's part, a swift shadow flew from within the newly open hole. A slithering tail snatching Gath by his neck and pressing his throat with killing intent.

"Insolent buffoon!" Growled the bruised Icejin, tightening the grip of his tail on the young warrior's throat.

"Master has finally got him!" Cheered one soldier.

Rejoicing on the cheers of his lackeys, the evil emperor smirked as he raised one hand towards the silent man below him. "I changed my mind, cretin! With this, I will send you straight to hell!"

A violent energy ball, colored red with anger and hatred, appeared before the man's hand. With each pulse of energy glowing from his body serving to increase the ball's intensity and size, affecting even the shining light coming out of it.

"Die!" Snarled the man, releasing his destructive power point-blank against his opponent's head.

One loud round of cheers exploded together with the violent attack, the soldiers relishing on their foe's demise. However, before the dust could even settle, a fast hand came flying out from the dust cloud, snatching the Icejin by his tail. Jumping forward, Gath swung the other man in the air bashing him against the ground; then another time and then once more. By the fourth swing and bash against the ground, the pale-blue alien was coughing blood and groaning with a hiss from the excruciating pain flooding his senses.

"HE WILL KILL HIM!" Warned one of the soldiers.

"Stop him! Kill the bastard!" Roared another one and by his rallying cry, his companion all jumped in a desperate attempt to save their liege.

Surrounded but never overwhelmed, Gath fought every opponent without relent, tackling them away with a single strike. But with the effort to battle with so many opponents, his grasp on their leader's slipped and the man went flying to a dusty spot on the ground.

With their 'mission' complete, the massive group of soldiers disengaged and quickly swarmed around their master's side, forming a living shield around him.

Letting his boiling rage cool off a bit, Gath watched the incredible zealous of these people, willing to give their lives to save their master. Even in his agitated state, he found admirable their loyalty. However, that is the extent of his sympathy for them. "Cower at his side or flee in a frenzy…" He raised one hand, and at his command, a furious sphere of white energy appeared before him. "Your destiny has already been decided by the Spirits, and their judgment is but only one." Pulling his arm back, he prepared himself to unleash his attack. "Justic-"

Gath's entire body shivered uncontrollably, his surviving instincts forcing him to relent on his final attack and jump away in a startled manner. His round eyes traveled around the ruined city, suddenly finding three figures standing quietly on the other side of this open arena.

"Taking an entire army by yourself… commendable." Praised the man in the middle of this small group, a small person with vibrant red hair.

"W-Who are you?!" Gath asked in a demanding tone, unbeknown to him, his calm demeanor instantly changing to a more agitated one. Only the presence of this group was enough to send the young warrior to the edge of his wits and he is at confused as to why.

Ignoring the question, the fragile-looking man drifted his gaze to the beaten Icejin; a spark of disappointment flashing on his eyes. "I warned you, Blizzard. Toy for too long with your prey and they will bare their fangs towards you."

Still groggy and a bit fuzzy in his eyes, the Icejin Blizzard raised his head towards the incoming man and snorted. "Gah, save me from your lectures." As one of his soldiers tried to help him to his feet, Blizzard harshly shoved the man away and got up by himself. "Is this the cretin you warned me about?"

The stoic looking pale man nodded and looked back at Gath. "Yes… A being of significant power. A warrior with strength comparable to a true warrior race, or if you want to be specific, a man as strong as a Saiyan."

"Saiyan?!" The young purple warrior inquired, his curiosity growing together with his wariness. He has once heard of the mighty warriors and guardians of the universe, and if these people are involved with or against Saiyans, then they are very dangerous. "Who in the name of the spirits are you people?! What is your purpose on our planet?" Seeing how defeated and done Blizzard looks, Gath changed his entire attention to the new group, more specifically to the small red-haired man with evil-looking red eyes. "We are a peaceful people… never harming an innocent soul. Why are you, invaders, bringing so much destruction upon us?"

"Ki… the living energy inside of every living being. Normally, just an ethereal essence locked into the realms of imagination and irrelevancy… but also used as a weapon by those with an ample reserve of said energy and a gift to manifest it physically." Lectured the enigmatic red-haired man, stepping ever so slowly towards the wary warrior. "Tell me, young warrior. If one is blessed with such lethal power by purely being born into the right race, isn't it unfair to all the others left behind by the cosmic natural selection?"

Frowning deeply by the confusion speech of that person, Gath took a step back, growing even more wary of this person. "I don't question the way of the spirits!" He replied with honesty, despite the suspicious alignment of that man. "What I question is the reasoning for such cruelty, like all of this!" He pointed to the burning city and the sea of corpses from his people drowning the streets.

"That's precisely my point, young warrior. Despite being a homicidal maniac, Blizzard is blessed with an ample reserve of ki; making him a powerful warrior himself." Once again, starting his long ramblings, the red-haired man began to walk in circles around Gath, eyeing him like a predator ready to crush its prey. "The question is not why your people got slaughtered; they were weaker and got crushed because of it. You should question, why were they weaker and cursed with such weaknesses while their tormentor was blessed with power?" Seeing the fierce glare on the purple warrior's eyes, the man grinned quietly in a dark delight. "You hate him for it, don't you? You hate me for being the one who ordered the invasion of this planet, don't you? I urge you to direct your hatred towards your precious spirits boy for they are the reason for your suffering."

"M-Monsters… ALL OF YOU ARE CURSED MONSTERS!" He endured every taunt and mockery thrown at him, but those defiling words cast at the spirits were too much for him to bear. With a trembling fist at his side, Gath flew at full speed towards this vile man.

Ready to crush this fragile-looking villain right where he stands, Gath pushed his arm with his entire power with full intent to destroy him in a single strike.

Raising a single hand, the pale Tuffle stopped his attacker's fist with ease and held his hand in place.

"I too hate my fate, boy." He said with drooling venom in his voice. "Like your people, we Tuffles were once crushed by an overwhelming foe. Despicable creatures gifted with an unmatching power, animals… APES WITH NOTHING BUT RAW STRENGHT." His red eyes shining with a crazed glow, pure insanity burning on those scarlet orbs. "But as you can see, I challenged my fate and fully intend on destroying the chains that keep us away from our deserved place in the universe."

"Father." One of the other two standing behind the man called out for him. "Is this safe? If I remember correctly, the one you're carrying is nothing but a prototype."

Glancing back to the young looking red-haired Tuffle, he stared blankly at him and then smiled. "Your concern is unnecessary, Nashi. I saw the construction of this device; despite being called a prototype, it is perfect in its function." Still holding Gath's fist effortlessly, he pulled the taller warrior forward and pushed him down against the ground. "Complete nullification of the cursed power called Ki! Our greatest weapon is already a success and flawless in every aspect."

With his face pressed against the ground, Gath tried with every fiber of his being to free himself out of this man's grasp, but he felt completely powerless as if his body had lost its spark of life and it is nothing more than an empty shell. "W-who… are you?" He asked with a weak voice despite his great effort to shout.

"I'm a survivor, boy. One of the few lucky Tuffles to escape the wrath of those wretched Saiyans." Releasing the forceful hold on Gath's head, he allowed the younger man to raise his head and look upwards to him. "My name is Sudachi, leader of the Tuffles… And the one who will eradicate the plague that is those glowing Apes."

"Glowing Ape- Aarggh!" Before he could speak out his confusion, Gath felt his voice die at his throat as a piercing blade of energy stabbed him from behind, going straight past his body and his heart.

"As I said before; Go straight to hell, vermin." Blizzard is standing tall beside his red-haired companion, the glowing blade of light coming from his hand fatally wounding the defiant warrior stuck on the ground. He watched with glee as the glow of light faded away from Gath's eyes, leaving his lifeless corpse behind together with the countless bodies of his fellow brethren. "I am surprised, Sudachi. Your little invention truly works." Said a content sounding Blizzard, letting go of his grip and destroying his Ki shaped weapon.

"Hmph… of course it works, I designed it." Replied an uninterested Sudachi, seeing the young warrior die drained him of his interest in this place. "If my calculations are right, this boy was as strong as a regular Saiyan…. Maybe a Super Saiyan. However, results on the mechanism may vary if we encounter a more… troublesome opponent."

Blizzard snorted and nodded. "Sure, I still remember the hour-long rant you so kindly tortured me with. And of course, that is why we traveled to this trash of a planet." Turning towards the forgotten witness left behind, the evil Icejin mutant stepped casually towards the elder resting silently in despair on his little spot, an evil smirk flashing on Blizzard's face after noticing the empty look on the man's round eyes. "Now, 'elder', you will tell us where your stupid rock is."

Walking towards his lizard companion, Sudachi stood at his side and glared down at the older man. "We have no interest in your people or this planet. Disclose the location of this 'spirit shrine' and spare the rest of your people from the fate of those around you."

"C-Core…" Replied the elder in a weak tone. "Inside the core of the giant golden mountain. There lies the throne of our ancients… the home of the spirits."

"See, it was not that hard…" Blizzard patted the elder on the head and then unleashed a powerful ki blast, exploding the poor man into bits right on the spot. "I saw this golden mountain before coming here. It should not take long to get there."

"Finally…" Sudachi let out a glad and tired sigh, his hard expression softening up if just a little. "I searched so long for a physical source of Ki. For something that could finally give me the answers to this mystery. With this, our path to crush Sadala is open at last."

"The destruction of those pesky apes… Ah, sounds like sweet music to my ears." A dark smile graced Blizzard's lips as he imagined the screaming Saiyans on the burning surface of Sadala. "Now that we don't need anyone else, should we just leave his cursed planet alone like you promised that old buffoon?"

"And leave an entire world of evidence for our enemies to find?!" Sudachi replied with an annoyed glare. "Retrieve this spirit stone or whatever trinket they used to infuse themselves with ki; then destroy this place to the last bit."

"Planetary destruction? Haha, a man after my own heart." Seeing the usually stoic and cold reaction out from the impassive Tuffle, Blizzard decided to leave the man be and turned his attention to his men standing behind him. "We march boys! Then some fireworks to celebrate a job well done."

With his army following behind him with roaring cheers, Blizzard flew up onto the sky leading his crew towards the fabled golden mountain out in the distance.

Nashi and the other Tuffle soldier stepped forward and bowed in front of their leader. "Father, what should we do now?" His tone showing nothing but pure respect and admiration.

"Let the mundane work to that Icejin. We have much to plan and little time to do so." Sudachi tapped his son on the shoulder and commanded both him and the other man to stand up. "Let's return home. After all, we have one interesting guest waiting for us."

* * *

Ever since he left the atmosphere space of Sadala, Corrin had this annoying needle poking at his thoughts. It is a difficult sensation to explain, but all in all the young soldiers feel, no, he knows that something is not entirely right about his father's request. However, the promise of finally being freed of the ever threat of his family against his life choices, was too great for him to pass up.

So, taking on face value the promise that his father did to him, the young Elite Saiyan Soldier obliged to the request and accompanied the retired veteran in this sketchy escaped.

"Is this the right place, old man?" Coorin, the one piloting the small space vessel, turned his gaze away from the front panel for a moment, drifting his attention to the silent man sitting at the back of the ship. "The whole sneaking out of Sadala was strange enough, but this is getting a bit ridiculous."

It is hard for the young Saiyan to not vent his frustration and hesitation after being greeted by the horrific sight of a platinum planet hidden away behind one menacing dark star. Not even in his most crazy missions or travels around the infinity that is the universe, he has ever come across something so unsettling.

Soriel, the 'shitty old man' as described by his son, pulled himself out of his seat and casually walked closer to the pilot's seat. "This is the right place without a doubt…" The man stopped for a moment to just admire the complexity and fantastic design of an entirely artificial-made world, his eyes sparkled almost as much as the synthetic plane of that planet. "Magnificent, isn't it?"

Practically forgetting the always present hostility between him and his son, Soriel smiled in a carefree way, gazing at that wide world like a young child who just found a shining new toy.

Coorin eyed his father with suspicion, not feeling the same amazing vibe as his old man is feeling right now. "I have a really bad feeling about this place, old man." Just staring down at that place again was enough to send cold chills up his spine. "Should we be here?"

"Coorin, for the first time in your life don't be a disappointment." Soriel harshly glared at Coorin, throwing one of his usual distasteful scowls. "You want to spend your life in mediocrity together with that half-blood and your little hero friend, don't you? So, do as I say and land us safely on the meeting point."

Wishing to have never started a conversation with his father, Coorin sighed deeply and locked his eyes on the path ahead of him. "Will do… shitty old man." While the last part he just uttered in a whisper, he did no effort to hide his discomfort of the situation.

But deciding to see this through the end, Coorin just followed his father's orders and continued their course towards that eerie planet. If he had to 'betray' Janola's trust to do this, he might as well finish things properly. How much complicated can one simple business travel become; his hopes are that not so much.

Little does he know about the events that both of them set in motion on this day.

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\- Chapter End -

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_**Reviews:**_

**VcArchangel** chapter 8 . Dec 6, 2019 – I have a lot of things planned for this story, and a lot of action too, even a bit too much action and craziness if you ask me. Seeing as I laid out the entire backstory for the most important characters on the first story, this time I'm a lot freer to just roll out a bit more on the battles and stuff like that.

Oh, and the traitor thing is a current and unfolding threat, one that will have huge implications later on.


	10. Chapter 10 - A Fair Trade

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

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\- Chapter 10 -

* * *

King Sadala, the name of the sovereign of the entire Saiyan race; but little known for the common Saiyan as being only the tittle that the current king inherits from their predecessor. While this little piece of information seems arbitrary at most, there seems to be a little something else that accompanies this small change of moniker.

As the previous king, his father, Asparus has developed an intense edge to his temper. This tempestuous mood being just as destructive as his father once had; with just a glimpse of his rampaging rage leaving the one wing where rests his office in complete disarray. From the small room where he resides when out of the throne, to the large hall that leads there; everything got affected in some way or another by the king's wrath, mostly ending up with cracks on walls and floors.

Seeing as was impossible to fit so many people inside a room, let alone one left in shambles, the group decided to change their meeting to the throne room. Of course, the king himself is leading the conversation with a tense posture on his throne. By his side stands a slightly worried Kale, still retaining her grace and composure, making good of everything that she learned from her new mother.

Now standing by the large steps leading up to the royal couple are some of the soldiers who managed to enter their liege's room before he could tear the entire castle down and some others who got wind of the commotion happening at the palace. Cabba is leading the charge, with him standing on the third step closer to the throne, Janola a few steps behind his friend, still looking worried and ready to freak out at any moment.

Lettu, ever the stoic-face soldier, is the only other soldier with courage enough to be standing on the steps themselves risking the wrath of a fuming king, but even with his braveness, he is only two steps above the lower floor.

Behind him are few more soldiers, now with the odd duo of Cavassa and Aonori joining the group all the while keeping their safe distance behind the safeness of one of the large stone pillars.

"This is a long shot, but it is what I presume to be true." Cabba raised his voice, doing little to soothe the crushing tension filling the room but still managing to get every gaze to settle on him.

One long and irritated sigh escaped Asparus' lips. "Still can't decide which infuriates me more… The thought that we have an active black market running ON MY PLANET or that members of the Elite Soldiers are aware of this problem and yet do simply nothing about it." With a simple swift of his position on his seat, Asparus made almost everyone present suck their air in apprehension; the only two not truly on edge being Kale and Cabba.

Tilting one eyebrow up, Cabba looked at his friend with a short grin quirking up the corner of his lips. "Every society has its underworld, man. A bit childish of you to think that we, Saiyans, would be any different." Just thinking of his previous circumstances Cabba had to shake his head to not openly grin, Caulifla herself as a huge crime-lord in her younger days.

A sound scoff comes from the back, one very entertained Aonori shakes his head rather playfully, both hands shooting down to the back of his head. "Imagine existing one day without our ever-present scum in the slums; Oh the dreamland carnival."

Innocent as that goofy dream-like face may have been, Cabba's apparent non-caring features only served to push his friends' wrong buttons; paired together with one 'innocent' gag from the elite forces' usual clown and then…

"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" Asparus' voice echoed inside the room like a thunderclap, being almost as loud as the heavy punch he descended upon the arm support of his seat, the entire thing almost crumbling down at his strike. "How the hell I'm supposed to keep the universe… hell, the galaxy, in order; If our planet is this loose of a mess."

If Janola was scared before, now he is on the verge of running out of the palace at the haste of the wind. He and Coorin always saw Asparus as this softened version of the previous King Sadala; this is his first time seeing such a heated mood out of the usually calm sovereign.

The others, however, were not as brave as the duo-color haired Saiyan. With Aonori and Cavassa included, all the other soldiers hastily disappeared from not only the room but from the palace entirely. Leaving only Lettu as the uninvolved bystander watching the exchange.

"What the hell? You want me to gather a squad and crash down on top every shady place in Salada?" Cabba replied with a bit of harsh rebuttal, his frown showing his shift in mood.

One rush of cold enveloped the entire room as Asparus ran one of his hands across his face, his onyx-colored eyes fixated on Cabba's figure. "I think you've done enough." If the dry texture of his voice were not enough to convey his emotions at the moment, his piercing glare is sure to do the job. "I held you here in Sadala for one reason and one reason alone. Now tell me, Cabba, what can you disclose about our foes? Are they coming? Are they already here? Go on, share with everyone here what you have found."

Shifting uncomfortably in his position, Cabba crossed his arms and stared at Asparus with an annoyed frown. "If I remember correctly, I disclosed every part of my investigation with you…"

"So, nothing to share with everyone here?" Asparus countered.

"Yes… your majesty." Cabba's reply was cold and short.

"This is ridiculous." Asparus leaned back against the throne, the engulfing pressure letting on as he relaxed his tensed-up fists. "I need answers, anything. One thing is to fight this invisible foe in the infinite space of the cosmos; another is to have this foe breaching our home. This cannot stand."

From bellow, a few shy steps sounded through. "Excuse me, your majesty." Lettu casually brought the spotlight to him, slowly reaching upwards on the steps. "I've been trying to pass this to you since this morning. We received word from one 'anonymous' source that a few ships have left from lord Soriel's private port." At the subtle revelation, only Kale didn't jump up from her spot and stared at Lettu as if he has grown another head. "W-What…?" The teen soldier stepped backward, overwhelmed by their gazes.

"Cabba, I got a really bad feeling about this one." Janola finally let his voice out for the first time for a while.

Looking to the tall man behind him, Cabba nodded fervently. "That snake has finally grown bold enough to start trouble, huh?" Ever since he was a cadet, the Saiyan hero was always wary of that man. A person who reeks of selfishness and greed, one that manages to unsettle his peers with just one of his glares.

"Lettu, prepare my ship and make sure to send me the route of every ship that departed from his private port." Asparus raised from the throne, his declaration surprising everyone around him.

"Is this really necessary?" Lettu hesitantly questioned the orders, earning him a stern stare from his mentor.

Anticipating the heated rebuttal from the young king, Cabba stepped in between his friend and his little brother, holding himself tall in front of Asparus' gaze. "Lettu is right. Your place is not out there risking your neck. Sadala has many soldiers but only one king. And let's be honest here, I am the best option for his mission by a long shot… seeing as I am the strongest Saiyan in the force."

Normally Asparus would just take Cabba's words as the worries of a close friend or even a slight friendly joke between the two of them. However, the constant trade of heated words between the two has left a sour taste in his mouth, making him see Cabba more as an impertinent Soldier than a friend.

"Asparus… please." Seeing the odd look in her husband's face, Kale quickly tried to stand between him and Cabba, placing one hand at his shoulder to try and soothe his constant flipping of emotions.

Always weak to Kale's touch, Asparus's mellowed a bit from his first instinct of going full ballista on those two, yet he still pressed forward all the while making sure to not push or shove his wife to the side. "Strongest Saiyan, eh? Care to test that claim in a real fight?" Even in the awkward position of not being able to push forward without shoving Kale away, Asparus manages to grip the handle of his sword and hold it in a very menacing way.

"Okay, this is getting out of hand!" Jumping in before those two could do something they could regret, Lettu stepped between Cabba and Asparus, holding both of his hands up in the air as he shifted his gaze from one to the other. "Neither of you is going in this, and no amount of ego measurement will change that." For a moment he focuses his gaze entirely on his king, holding a confident but respectful stance. "Our king cannot be out there playing the young explorer, that's absurd and way too risky. These… 'Tuffles' have already breached Sadala's space, letting you go out there is just asking for trouble." He then whipped his head to the other side, locking his gaze at his stubborn brother. "And you're also stepping out of line. You may be friends, but he is our king! Stop provoking and rebuking every word he says."

Kale sighed in relief after Lettu's intervention; she was dreading the course this conversation was taking. Now she only sees two grown-up men looking down to their feet after getting yelled at by a kid much younger than them.

"I will take this mission." Lettu continued. "And of course, I will not be going alone like two individuals who apparently have some sort of death wish." Letting his features soften up slightly before he could even look at his queen, the young soldier sighed. "Lady Kale, please help our majesty to his quarters. He is clearly upset about the recent events and he is in no shape to be working right now."

Watching how dependable and mature this boy has become brings a smile to the Saiyan Queen's lips; a smile that only grows as she nods and wraps her left arm around her loved one's waist. "I will take care of our king. Thank you, Lettu." Leaving no room for complaints, she pressed herself on her husband's side and calmly started to guide him at her side. "We will take a break for the day. Can I leave the rest for you?"

"Of course, my lady." Lettu bows respectfully in his reply, earning another sincere smile from his queen.

Before truly turning away and stepping out, Kale glanced at Cabba and gave him one apologetic small smile, to which he replied with a casual waving of his hand. The young hero himself just stood in place and watched as the royal couple excused themselves to their private quarters, leaving the three soldiers behind to sort this mess by themselves.

"And… what now?" Asked a distressed Janola.

"Ask dad over here." Cabba pointed at his younger brother, who glared at his uncalled jest. But despite the initial humorous take on his brother's part, the two Saiyans looked at Lettu with genuine interest and attention.

"Just let me think." Lettu turned away from them in a haste and quietly began to step down towards the other non-private wing of the royal palace. "I will gather every information I can from this source; then we can plan how to go about this." Having spoken his piece, Lettu disappeared inside the hallway without waiting for a reply.

While Cabba is content to just sigh and shake his head, Janola is growing warier by the second and the look on his eyes shows it.

"You heard him; all we can do for now is wait. No use getting on a ship and flying to gods known where." Cabba tapped his friend on the shoulder, giving him a short grin. "Don't lose your head yet, okay? If Coorin is in a pinch, he will need you to keep your mind clear."

"I know…" Janola sighed heavily, his head hanging low in reaction. 'Coorin… in what mess have you put yourself into?'

* * *

Always the gentle soul, Kale watches patiently as the visitors slowly walks out from the royal garden. Of course, many of them stop before their queen, throwing niceties and all kinds praises on her way in hopes of getting onto her good side. To these people who grew up amid royalty and noble Saiyans, is a foreign concept and almost impossible to imagine that Kale doesn't differentiate people based on such petty things.

However, trained ever so carefully by her new mother, the young queen is more than well versed in this little dance played up by people of higher families. Gentle smiles and casual words are her replies to every eager subject that approaches her, and each of them walks away with giant smiles on their faces, feeling like they accomplished the social victory of the day.

It is only when the last one of them steps out of the open garden, closing the giant door behind them, that Kale looses up a bit and let go of her constant smile. Feeling a little annoying feeling on the corner of her mouth and cheeks, the young queen finally gets to wear her passive and blank features.

Taking a long breath in, Kale turns herself to the right, letting her gaze drift across the sparkling flora surrounding her. Deep within this colorful sanctuary, she finds the subject of her total interests and the source of her growing preoccupation.

Walking in sparse and slowly steps, Kale carefully approaches the hidden little alcove hidden behind large walls of green. Her king and husband quietly sat by himself at the bench, his gaze held down and both hands pressing against his face.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Kale tried to start the conversation.

Knowing the hard-headed man she is married to, she embellished her tone, making it soft and appealing to lure him comfortably. However, despite her effort to pull him in, Asparus remained silent and instead just grunted back at her words.

Letting out one long sigh of exasperation, Kale pulled the long part of her dress up, adjusting her clothing to let her sit beside him. "You scared me today. All that anger and destructiveness… that is not the man I love."

"Oh… and what is this lucky man like?" Asparus raised his head slightly to the side, just enough to give his wife a short glance.

"Caring, compassionate, sometimes he is kinda silly but in a charming way." Like many other times when they spend their nights freely flirting with each other, Kale pressed the side of her arm against his, bringing her hand to his and intertwining their fingers together. Differently from those warm nights, she carries one stern and almost cold look in her eyes as she continues talking. "But dumb is something that my husband is not."

He flinched at the strong pull on his arm, how his hand ached under the crushing hold of her grasp.

Seeing his quiet hiss brought a discreet little grin to her lips; sometimes even Kale herself feels a bit scared of how much she is like her mother-in-law now. "You're well aware of the situation in certain parts of Sadala. So much so that you spend hours in your office trying to fix it. But today you lashed out at Cabba like he is responsible for the black market running in the slums… Why?"

"Kale, please." He pulls himself away from her, slightly sliding to the other side to discourage her to keep going. Sadly for him, this only pushed Kale to go even harder against him.

"Remember the promise we made to each other? No lies between us. No hidden information. No keeping things from the one you love." Taking her right hand up, Kale pressed her small fingers onto his cheeks, bringing Asparus' face to look at her. "Tell me. Why are you hiding this from me and what are you hiding?"

"That's unfair, isn't it?" Asparus downcast look shifted to a more defiant one, his eyes losing the softness that was ever-present in them. "You ask me to tell you everything, you sing this alluring tune of no secrets. Yet, you keep things away from me, while planning stuff behind my back with my mother. I love that woman, Kale… as much as I love you. But mother has the distasteful trait of scheming behind people's backs, something that I dislike ever so much."

Kale tensed up at his 'accusation'. She never wanted to keep this from him; it was only her surprise and fears of the new page-turning on her life and the constant pestering of her mother-in-law that forced the young queen to withhold the information about her pregnancy. But if indulging Arula in her planning will create a rift between Kale and Asparus, then…

"I will tell you." She said in a low but firm tone. "If that's the problem, then I will tell you everything."

Now Asparus' undivided attention is focused on Kale. While he remains silent in his spot, his eyes are glowing with countless questions. Seeing his eager gaze stuck on her, made Kale divert her gaze to the small pathway leading to this little alcove, another long sigh escaping her. Arula will definitely rip her ears latter because of this, but this is as far as Kale can go with the queen-mother little game.

"I am pregnant." She said short and simple, not a single word of embellishment being thrown in the mix. "Your mother wanted to do this big surprise, but I can't keep this secret anymore… not if it will create strife between us. I am… pregnant, Asparus."

A current of emotions flashed across the young king's face. At first, one giant smile broke his lips apart, then one concerning frown stormed over his features and finally, he settled into a mixture of happiness and distress. "By the gods…"

Kale's heart sunk deep inside her chest, from every possible reaction coming from her husband, this one is the scariest. "Asparus?" She asked in a pleading voice. "Aren't you happy to hear it?"

"No… I… Gods, I am happy. I am stoked!" Worried that his turmoil would give his precious wife the wrong idea, Asparus quickly reached out to her, taking her hand on his own again, kissing her softly on the cheeks. "A baby… our baby. Kale, this is the happiest moment of my life."

"But…?" She asked him, tugging at his hand to bring his eyes to her.

"Well, I guess is it my time to share." Asparus turned himself properly towards Kale, his thigh resting against hers. "Many years ago, when we first met each other, I got kidnapped by that guy. As you know, he tortured me for days… to me felt like weeks and weeks without end."

Seeing the mental pain in his face, Kale twitched in anguish herself, biting her lips to quell the rush of unpleasant emotions swirling deep in her heart. "Does it… still hurts?" She asked him, rubbing her thumb against the top of his hand.

"No… Even then I couldn't care less about the pain he inflicted me. In the end, I won. He couldn't break me." Asparus smiled weakly before getting a grim look back on his face. "Then, he came to Sadala. Then… that monster killed my mother just to spite me."

As if one integral piece of the puzzle has finally made itself visible, everything clicked in Kale's mind. "You're scared that it will happen again?" She asked with a subtle tone of disbelief.

"When I read that letter earlier today. The moment it dawned on me that our enemies had so easily landed on Sadala just to give me that… Kale, my only thought was about you." His eyes glinting with feisty tears, droplets fighting to escape his orbs but unable to break through his resolve. "Even the thought makes me sick, Kale. If something were to happen to you… If someone would ever bring harm to you…"

"Then you trashed the entire office wing of the palace, just because of this feeling?" She asked him with a small smile, a silly grin on her face.

"Yes…" He responded quietly, sliding his head to the side and shifting his gaze downwards in an ashamed manner.

"Darling… look at me." Kale took his cheeks on her hand again, bringing his gaze back to hers once more. "Nothing will happen with me, you hear. I got you on my side always, I got Lettu bossing on the entire army when you are absent." Then a playful gleam flashed on her eyes, one faint giggle coming out from the young queen. "Also… I am the strongest Saiyan in Sadala."

Instantly Asparus' hands shoot up to the air as he rolled his eyes and sighed very loudly. "What is up with you people and claiming to be the strongest crap. If someone says that to me again today… I swear, that I will lose it."

Seeing his sweet and endearing pout, Kale could not hold her giggles in. "Oh, Asparus. You don't have to pout." Her words only served to make him pout harder, making him cross his arms even, shooting his gaze to the opposite side. "I will be fine. We will be fine. Years ago, we fought against an invasion from another universe, one led by a God of Destruction and we won. This small crisis will be over before long, I know it."

"You know it, huh?" He turned back toward her, one curious look in his eyes.

"Yeah. Call it a mother's intuition." She giggled again. "Just as I know that you will be one wonderful dad."

"Kale…" Asparus called out her name, his voice passionately, longing in the deepest form possible.

"Yes?" She looked at him with an innocent look, her smile sweet as ever.

"I love you." Taking his hand to her face, Asparus carefully slid one finger across her sun-kissed skin, lovingly feeling her softness and her warmth. Sensing the same feeling of wanting coming from her, the young king took her chin with his fingers and brought her closer to a kiss; one soft and innocent but full of love all the same.

As soon as his touch left her lips, Kale groaned in complaint. Her sparkly eyes staring at him with a blazing desire. "Darling… the guards have been instructed to close the avenue towards the gardens for the rest of the afternoon." She said calmly but with a clear suggestion in her words.

For the first time since he woke up this morning, hell for the first time this week maybe, Asparus laughed. "Really? No 'please stop, this is not the appropriate place' or 'Someone could hear us'?" He eyed his wife with a tilted eyebrow. "Am I imagining things, my sweet Kale, or are you trying to seduce your king into doing improper things in this beautiful garden?"

Slightly annoyed at his attempt of teasing her, Kale leaned over towards him. With a melting voice escaping her lips, she purred on his ears; just the warmth grazing over his skin was enough to turn Asparus' cheeky grin into a wishful blushing face. "There is no one close that could hear us… my king." She blew the words onto him, making his entire body shiver in an amazing way.

As the soft touch of her hand spread across his chest, Asparus closed his eyes and moaned ever so quietly. "Kale... If you keep going, I will press you against those flowers you love so much."

Even if his small threat was remotely a real attempt to dissuade Kale away from her advances, it only served to ignite a bigger fire within her. Doing what he proposed to do to her, Kale pushed him forcedly backward and out from the stone bench. Taking hold of his body, the young queen pressed her husband against the small grass, lustfully biting her lips as he stared down at his vulnerable form.

"Remember that day where we sneaked into the golden mountains." She said with a wink.

Just the mention of that isolated and peaceful scenery at the other end of Sadala, Asparus' lips parted into a large grin. That day would be one that he would never forget, because of the place, because of his company and most of all, for the overwhelming storm that washed over him; A storm with a name and a face.

Kale saw the look of absolute yearning coming from him, making her smile. "I was afraid of it at first, but that worry proved to be for nothing. Isn't that right, darling?" He nodded weakly to her question, his head practically spinning already at the anticipation of what is to come. "Do you want it?"

Asparus nodded again.

Kale giggled and shook her head. "I want you to say it."

Now the one barely keeping a hold of his thoughts is Asparus. He tried to pull his upper body up and claim her lips to himself but got shoved down against the grass yet again. His queen would not accept anything but what she asked for.

Desperate to get his wishes, Asparus nodded again but this time with a smile. A boom of air erupted from his body, a powerful aura of ki swiftly enveloped his form as he ascended to his Super Saiyan form, his dark hair turning golden with the faint glow of silver flashing across them.

"I want it… I want you." He finally said it and his wife smiled in approval. Just like that Asparus felt one powerful pressure land upon his body, not only a wave of powerful energy raising to equal his own, but the pressure of a heavy physical form pressing onto him.

Matching her lover's ascension, Kale too turned into Super Saiyan. Her body larger than before, taller and much more intense; with her muscles showing a lot more now, a combination of a round feminine body and the well-built shape of a warrior.

As she is now, Kale is as taller as Asparus; with her body being not as bulky as his but still a lot different from the usual delicate way that she normally looks.

Just like the first time he asked her to transform into a Super Saiyan in an intimate moment, Kale looks at him with a certain degree of apprehension. Deep down she knows that he loves her, every bit of her, but there is always a faint voice in the back of her head, saying how unsightly she looks like this. This little edge at the back of her mind only lasts until she gazes upon his glowing green eyes.

There is no fear, there is no disgust on them. There is only desire carved onto the lustful gaze of her husband. And just like the previous time, Kale feels a rushing sensation taking over her entire body.

Moving her hands to the back of her dress, Kale carefully pulled the buttons holding her attire together. With a swift motion, she let the fabric slid down her shoulders, even with its elastic nature, the dress glides firmly against her skin until it drops past her waist; leaving her well-defined belly and bra exposed to his eyes.

"I love you, Asparus." She said innocently, smiling ever so lovingly towards him.

"And I love you." Asparus replied with a giant smile on her lips, his right hand going to her abdomen and sliding all over her exposed body. "All of you."

Those little words were enough to unleash every bit of desire imprisoned inside of Kale's core. She doesn't care that they are under the sky or even in an open space within the palace. There is no space in her mind for any thought spare for the burning need of him, of possessing him, of taking him, of loving him.

Giving in to this unstoppable wish, Kale let all of her clash against all of him. The young royal couple letting go of their worries, their duty, and their titles. For the rest of the day, there will be only Asparus and Kale, both lost in their heated exchange of love.

* * *

"Right this way, sir." Beckoned a slim female soldier, her voice steady and firm as it is her poise.

However, despite the cordial sound of her voice and the welcoming words uttered from her lips; her eyes carry a burning flame of mistrust and even disgust. Yet, as a trained soldier, she simply bows and moves her arms towards the open door, showing the arriving guests the way inside the private quarters.

Carrying his own baggage of ill-intent towards every person around him, Soriel quietly reciprocated the woman's civility. The shadow of a smirk hiding behind his lips as an unspoken delight wash over him as he casually intrudes in this gargantuan building in the home of his former enemies. But, before striding his way properly, the detestable old man makes sure to glance sideways towards the young girl with blue hair, just to show his distaste over her race with a malicious glare he so perfectly wears.

Behind this distasteful plotter walks his vigilant son. If his chest was weighting down with doubts for the entire of their travel, Coorin now has the firm certainty that his father is planning some despicable scheme. As a soldier, even if one that rarely takes his position seriously, the young Saiyan man finds himself barely containing his body, barely keeping himself from jumping forward and arresting his traitorous father on the spot.

And yet, as the son of this bastard of a man, he is scrambling with his thoughts to find logic in this development. As much as Soriel hates, well… everything. He hates the Tuffles a lot more, if his behavior towards Janola is anything to go by. Despite this fact, here he is. A veteran soldier of Sadala, one that supposedly fought against this menace, calmly marching towards the lion's den without a care showing on his face.

With this unsolvable mystery hovering above his thoughts, Coorin finds himself stuck in a situation where he can do nothing but follow his father in a strangely rich and pompous hallway.

"Impressive isn't it?" Commented Soriel as he glides the palm of his hands against a statue made of green gems. As an avid tourist, the older man is taking his time to inspect and even admire the inside of this place; the architecture, the art and even the color and design of those fancy walls.

Again, if he has not known this man for his entire life, Coorin would judge him to be another person completely different from what he really is. Seeing this side of his father, this complacent or even serene side of a man who only knows power and rage; is like looking at a twisted mirror.

For a moment a question threatened to slip past Coorin's lips, as the corner of his mouth twitched in a reflex. However, he found useless to try and ask what could never be explained.

Soriel, on the other hand, has no plans of keeping his mouth shut. He caught the slight change in his son's behavior, making him twitch one eyebrow in curiosity. "You may find this strange, but I also see the value of these things." He started. "Paintings, carvings, art… Beauty. This is, of course, a virtue that many strive to achieve, and like any other virtue that is deemed worthy of being chased after; Beauty also has its value."

Coorin scoffed at that. He has never been one to listen on a lecture over art or any kind of philosophy ramblings; one coming from the man he loathes the most sounds twice more unappealing.

"Seriously, old man? You want to sell art or shit like that now?" Jested the younger Saiyan, breaking his silence only to reply in a faint mockery way.

Contrary to expectations, Soriel didn't growl, grunt or lash out at his son's joke. Instead, the older man stopped at Coorin's side and scoffed himself, his tone a lot more light-hearted, in good humor even. "There is power in desire, son. The one who controls the supply controls everyone with demand."

That calm look in his father's eyes made Coorin's skin crawl. Its unnerving at best how relaxed and composed that man is despite how utterly screwed they are at the moment. Surprise again, and now terrified of the lunacy he has been dragged into, the young soldier remained in complete silence for the rest of their stroll inside this giant hall, only following his father towards the massive double doors at the end of their path.

Taking a firm step onto the small steps leading into those doors, Soriel barely had time to admire the aesthetic of the woodcarving before they creaked open revealing a large round room on the inside. One large figure quickly came into view as the blue lights from inside poured onto the hallway.

"I bid you welcome, lord Soriel…" A soothing voice purred from this person, soft like velvet silk; gracious and melodic, entrancing like a siren's song.

Coorin instantly froze in his steps as his eyes landed on the man waiting for them. "Y-You!" He pointed to the tall figure standing on the other side. "I knew something stunk about you! You're one of them. YOU'RE A TUFFLE!"

"Shush, boy!" Warned Soriel with an edge in his voice. "How rude can you be to our host?"

Once again, that accursed alluring voice sounded off, this time in a charming little laugh. "Your concern is unnecessary, my lord. I am well familiar with the sharp tongue that your son possesses."

"The hell you know?!" Spat an angry Coorin. "What a creep like you know about me?"

Just like that day this man appeared on Sadala, his soothing features suddenly shifted into a sinister picture, one that drove fear even into Soriel's heart. "I know everything about you… Mister Coorin." Then as fast as that terrifying visage has taken hold of his features, it disappeared behind the sweet smile that reappeared on his lips. "Now, I am getting ahead of myself here. Please, lord Soriel, your patron is waiting for you."

Right then one giant smile appeared on the old Saiyan man's face. "Is that so?" Chirped in Soriel as he stepped inside the oval room. He eyed the surroundings, finding two doors with one sitting at the opposite end from where he came and another to the left wall. "I've been rather eager to meet with this 'patron'. From all the talk of power and influence, I gather I will be meeting with the king of your people, yes? Or does he go by emperor still?"

Ichigo, who was already turning to show the way, stopped in his motion and snorted rather loudly. "My father could not be farther away from being the Tuffle Emperor. If you had hopes of meeting the royal head of our broken empire, I am sorry to disappoint you."

Soriel's beaming mood quickly became sour, his eyes getting an irritated glow in them. "This doesn't fit the description that was laid to me. The leader of your… people, that's the one I was supposed to meet."

"And meet him you shall… if that still is what you want." Ichigo offered one reassuring smile, his hands beckoning the visitors to come forward.

"Sure, boy. Take me to your… leader." Soriel's cheery mood was slowly dwindling, but he remained in control of his growing anger.

Carrying himself with grace and walking with impeccable form, Ichigo walked closer to the door and pushed it open. "Then proceed, your… patron awaits."

Hastily stomping his way towards the next room, Soriel ruffed angrily as he passed by the tall red-haired man.

Coorin, shocked into silence after that look coming from this stranger, quietly walked behind his father with intentions to just get out of this place and away from this person. However…

"Mister Coorin, this is as far as you go, I am afraid." Ichigo raised his hand, blocking the young Saiyan's path. The mouthful Saiyan ready to burst into a fit of insults and curses as he usually does, but his voice died in his throat with a single glance upwards into that searing gaze locked down onto him. "As per the agreement firmed with lord Soriel himself. He has the chance to plead his case to my father… in exchange for the custody of Elite Soldier from the Saiyan race… Coorin."

"W-What?!" Coorin stepped backward, carefully making space between him and this Tuffle. For the first time in his life, he feels truly and utterly terrified of someone.

More than just fear, Coorin feels anger and disappointment. As if he was a shining bauble made for a bargain, his father offered him to the enemy without remorse. Such a great act of betrayal that even for a man like Soriel this is a new low.

* * *

\- Chapter End -


	11. Chapter 11 - White Swarm

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

* * *

\- Chapter 11 -

* * *

Former bandit lord, borderline maniacal about battles, still one of the most powerful and scary Saiyans in the entirety of their race. Caulifla now stands in the middle of the living room of her house with Corabi in hand and a passive look on her face, the role model of a loving mother.

Yet all the former accolades she still holds over her name stirs that deep and unconscious fear inside the mind of these strangers watching her with big agitated eyes.

"That's about it… really." Cabba, one of the few standing in 'striking' range of Caulifla, finished his explanation with the last touch of a sincere smile.

Corabi squealed happily after seeing her father smile, as always, she is happy to be around both of her parents. Her mother, while in love with Cabba's sparkling grin, is a bit less joyful. Her eyes squinting ever so slightly towards her husband, her head tilting a bit to the left as she scans the faces of every person standing behind him.

"So…" Caulifla eyed him suspiciously. "Let see if I got this right. You're leaving the planet in a generic mission. Just the casual stuff, patrolling the galaxy in look for troubles."

Under the scrutiny of Caulifla's piercing gaze, Cabba quickly began to sweat, his hands flying to the back of his head as he laughed nervously. "Yeah… just the usual routine, you know. I finally managed to sway Asparus out of this blockade." He stuttered for a moment, coughing away the stump forming in his throat. "Without the force out there… everything may fall to chaos and all that."

"Routine, huh?" She squints her eyes even more. "Again… let set this straight. You nagged at Wimp until he let you go out in a little mission." Caulifla casually drifted her glance to the side, letting her gaze hover at those pale and shivering faces behind her husband. "In a small tiny-bit mission, you're taking Lettu, big guy over there, that huge-ass woman, stupid face and what… thirteen other soldiers with you?"

"Still relegated to big guy?" Said one mildly discomforted Janola.

"She calls our king a Wimp. Big guy is practically a compliment coming from big sis." Lettu just shrugs at his sister-in-law antics; for a long time he has given up trying to 'fix' her bad habits.

"Huge-ass… woman…" Deeply shaken by her 'nickname', Cavassa almost went to the ground; her face the image of despair. Usually, she is not terribly bothered by her height or any mean comments about it, but whenever Lettu is next to her, then any insult of the kind can shatter her pride to smithereens.

"Cabba, your wife is not only rude but clearly blind." Spat one dissatisfied Aonori. He ruffed loudly as he shot his head to the side, taking one hand to his left cheek in the motion. "To call this beauty stupid... a crime, I tell you."

"It looks weird and sounds weird…" Cabba shifted his eyes to the side just for a glance, his right hand going over to the collar of his shirt, loosing a bit the fabric out of his skin. "But it is just this small thing we need to do. I didn't want you to worry over something so dumb, so I came home to kiss you and see you before going out."

By the look on her face, Caulifla is not buying any of this. "Cabba…" She sighed calmly, surprising her husband and little brother. They both expected her to lash out at him, at every single one of them. Yet, the cool and collected Saiyan woman just walked over to Cabba and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Get out and go do your stupid thing." She said curly, then leaned in closer towards him. "But I better don't see a scratch on the tip of your chin when you get back home or else…"

"Got it! Not a scratch." Cabba hastily raised his right hand to his forehead, posing to his wife as he would do with a superior officer.

Then the soldiers who were all at the tip of their toes all sighed in relief. Some shook their head at the silliness of their overreaction, others chuckled at the fearsome young hero of their race getting played by the tip of his wife's fingers.

A very bad decision, on all of them.

Caulifla's heated gaze that was fixated at Cabba suddenly flashed upon the thirteen ground soldiers. "Oi, you shitheads!" Her voice roared inside the entire house, men and women dressed in the colors of the Defense Force trembled like little children lost in the dark. "My husband promised to tell a bed story to our little girl, and he promised to do that TONIGHT!" Her powerful ki erupted and spread everywhere; gasps echoed in its wake. "If for any reason, he is not here in time to fulfill that promise…"

She did not need to finish her threat. Every Saiyan soldier is well aware of her previous fame; the dreading Caulifla, bandit queen, and bane of the Defense Force. What once started as a simple rumor, became a terrifying legend. Now that legend, the famous woman that every cadet learned to fear, is glaring at them with every wince of killing intent she possesses.

Those brave enough to stand on their shaking legs nodded very firmly in response. Promises upon promises that they would lay dead on the ground before keeping her husband from coming back home. The rest of them, the majority to be precise, scrambled out from the front door without sparing a single glance back towards the house.

A ringing sound of an impressed whistle echoed from within the silence left out after the stampede. "Scary, scary… That's the future captain's wife for ya." A few chuckles escape Aonori, if he got shaken by Caulifla's display, he is hiding it pretty well behind his usual goofy grin.

"You didn't need to threaten-" Before Cabba could finish his sentence, Corabi was standing inches from his face, waving her little hands across his cheeks. Raising a curious eyebrow, Cabba took his baby girl from her mother's arms, making her squeal even happier.

Caulifla waiting just until Cabba had managed to settle Cora in his arms, securing hers close to his chest, for then to press herself on the empty spot against his battle armor. "My kiss…" She said in a low tone, low enough for jus his ears. "I still want my kiss."

Like a magic trick, Caulifla transformed from the most terrifying woman on the galaxy to the sweetest. Her black eyes staring at her husband's with a special glow on them, one of love and care. Even if Cabba prefers to appear as the stoic and serious leader in front of his colleagues, he cannot help but melt a little from that gaze.

Taking his free hand up, he carefully ran a finger over his wife's cheek, then on her chin; lifting her face a tad bit up, just enough for him to lean in.

One audible groan spread inside the room as the young couple began to share an intimate moment. "Okay, the show's over." Announced one very disturbed Lettu. "Everyone, withdraw from the building and stand in position over by our vessel." He raised one waiving hand, swinging his arm quite fervently to show the seriousness behind those words. As the remaining ground soldiers quickly turned and marched out of the house, his commanding gaze shifted to the only two who ignored the order and just continued to watch his brother and sister without care or shame in display. "That extent to you two as well. And I mean it." His voice carried a subtle edge on it.

Cavassa, despite being oddly interested in watching the ongoing romantic scene, hastily turned her gaze to Lettu. Her cheeks turned bright red, forcing her to raise her hands to hide her face as she dashed out after the others.

Aonori, on the other hand, wasn't even looking towards Cabba and Caulifla, for some odd reason the small Saiyan soldier was staring at nothing with a daydreaming look to his face. It was only when Lettu cleared his throat ever so loudly, that Aonori jerked his head to the side. "Oh… my bad." Waiving one hand nonchalantly, the aloof man excused himself towards the exit, leaving only the young couple, their daughter, and Lettu inside the house.

"Cabba…" Lettu called out to his brother, who in return glanced back towards him. "Two minutes." Without much more to say, the teen-ager soldier followed suit and left the other two to themselves.

"Even with the frown and the cold glares, our little Lettu is as cute as ever." Caulifla giggled against her husband's chest, pressing her face even more against him.

"I still worry about him. Either he still not over his crush on you or his crush on Kale for that matter, or he is hiding something from me." One long sigh escaped from Cabba's lips. Day by day, his younger brother buries himself deeper in his work and training; it is like he is trying to lock out anything that is 'unproductive' out of his life. "A kid in his age should not be cracking his head over wars and secret services."

"Hm… I heard from Kale that he is pretty popular." Caulifla raised her face to look at Cabba. "Apparently even some women from rich families are eying him for an arranged marriage or something dumb like that."

"Never heard of that!" Cabba spat almost angrily. "As if I would allow my brother to be dragged into such a stupid proposal." Then his lips parted in the evilest but still purest grin ever. "I would bet my left arm that Asparus has never heard of any of this either. He would rain hell on people for that kid."

"Jeez… and you wonder why Lettu is not showing interest in anyone. His two insane 'dads' are scaring every girl away." Caulifla eyed her husband with a funny look, and as he failed to deny her comment she just bursted out in laughter. "Cabba… We'll see you tonight, right?" Her features hardened up a little, but her gaze melted into a pleading puppy look.

He brought two fingers towards her jaw, stroking the soft skin of her face with a thumb. "Of course, you will." He leaned over and kissed his wife again. "I wouldn't stay away from my precious girls." Taking a glance at the little girl on his other side, Cabba leaned closer to her and kissed the center of Cora's forehead. "Papa will tell one of his best stories for you, right Cora?"

Corabi made her happy little noises, brushing her little hands against her father's neck.

Showing a huge smile to his baby girl, Cabba stepped back and handed Cora back to Caulifla. "I should go before Lettu starts to do a scene." He jests but with a hint of seriousness; his younger brother has stormed places for less than tardiness, his strict agenda is almost legendary.

"Okay… just one more kiss-" Caulifla was ready to lean over and snatch one last treat out of her husband when a storm of gasps and stomping feet echoed from outside. The suddenness of the commotion and its loudness caught both young adults by surprise.

With Cabba taking the lead, they all stepped towards the front door with a look of interest held in her faces.

Echoes of voices greeted the young couple as they stepped out of their house. Soldier after soldier standing in line and raising one hand to their head in the most flawless salute they could muster.

"Ooohh! Look at that, Wimp himself has come over here." Caulifla's words made those poor soldiers stiffen frozen in panic, all of them glancing towards her in shock and them looking back to their sovereign in terror. "This mission of yours is getting weirder by the moment, isn't that so, husband of mine?"

Reverting to his uncomfortably strange stiffness, Cabba just brushed his hands on the back of his head, letting out a few weak chuckles.

"You're loud as ever, Muscle Woman." Asparus joked back at his friend/nemesis. "If your tongue was not this fountain of nasty words, I would dare to say that you look pretty this morning." The fact that he casually smiled and stepped over towards Caulifla with a friendly look on his eyes, confused the living soul of his ground soldiers.

From their brief encounters with the young king, they all learned not to piss off this man by any means. Talks of his heated moods are the talk of every squad, they even share stories of all the people their king has blasted to nothing for just looking at him in the wrong way; not that any of them has seen any of the blastings, but word of mouth spreads like wildfire regardless of the veracity.

The young king, shattering the gargantuan imposing image in his soldier's minds, patted Corabi on her head all the while showing a friendly smile to the little girl. Cora tilted her head to the side at the first moment and then waved her hands to him. Then just when people were questioning why people were afraid of the new King Sadala at all, Asparus' features grew cold yet again, the face of seriousness.

"I want to talk with you for a moment." He addressed Cabba in a full formal stance.

His longtime friend looked at him curiously but relented to the request practically immediately.

Walking side by side, the two Saiyan warriors stepped quite a distance away from everyone else; stopping only when they reached the large tree on the left side of Cabba's front yard.

Asparus started the exchange, his hands moving as he explained something to his friend. At first, Cabba listened in silence without a breeze of change coming to his face, but then he shoots his right hand to the side, fervently fighting against something that he disagreed with. This flow of Asparus demanding something and Cabba battling against his motives with all his fervor going without end.

It was only when the young king turned to the side and pointed to Caulifla and Corabi, that Cabba finally backed down, silently nodding in reply. Asparus' heated frown instantly cooled down as he sighed in relief. Taking one of his hands to a pocket at the side of his pants, he pulled out some sort of sparkly thing that no one beside them could see properly.

Cabba eyed that object with a glint of suspicion in his gaze but letting out another sigh he reached out with one hand and took that thing in his grasp, putting in safely in one of his pockets.

Caulifla and everyone else watched them talk with deep interest, but with how far away they are, nobody could understand a word they shared. So, they could only watch their gestures, their heads scratching with curiosity all the while.

Sharing a calm and friendly handshake, Asparus and Cabba turned back towards the group, walking back to where Caulifla is.

"Another 'usual' exchange about a 'usual' mission?" Caulifla hissed her question, her gaze fixated more at Asparus than at Cabba.

"What?" Asparus replied confused, his brow furrowed up a little.

"We were just talking about that investigation I told you about." Cabba shrugged innocently. His little act, however, has failed to convince Caulifla since the start, not that he noticed that. "Just one last update before I leave the planet I guess?" He glanced at Asparus, begging with his eyes that his friend would corroborate with his story.

"Actually, that is secondary." Asparus continued. "I came here at Kale's request." He raised one arm and pointed at Caulifla, making her frown at him. "She wants to speak with you. Something about spending some time together… don't ask me, I don't know more than that."

"Look at you, playing the errand boy." Caulifla smirked after seeing him roll his eyes to the side. "Damn, Kale has some skills, huh? Who would guess that a shy girl like her would fold a king between her fingers?"

"Whatever you say, battle freak." Asparus spat back, adding another one of the nicknames he gave her. "I'm going back to the palace. Wanna come with me?" He gripped the handle of his sword, pointing out that he can teleport her away with him.

"Pass. Cora needs to take a bath before we leave and more importantly, I would rather drag my beaten body across the floor than hold hands with you, Wimp." Of course, she turned down his offer with all politeness that she would mind to give him; which is none.

"I don't need to hold your… Bah, forget it. You do you." Taking the smart route, Asparus decided to not start an argument against this woman. As he has stated before, she can be as stubborn as a desert beast. "I'll tell Kale that you're coming." Turning away before he would feel the urge to sigh, Asparus raised one hand and brought the other one to his sword's hilt. "Cabba…" He stopped before he would vanish away. "Keep my words in mind, that's all I ask you."

"I will... don't worry, I will." Cabba glanced at Caulifla and their baby, his features growing ever more serious.

"Thank you." Saying his last piece, Asparus tilted his sword down and disappeared in a blur of silver light.

* * *

Took a while for Lettu to explain the outline of their mission, basically scouting and retrieval of any suspicious part they may get across. Took twice the time for him to explain to a few members of his team, why they are currently in route after the unknown vessel that came to Sadala instead of going after lord Soriel's ship.

Mostly Aonori and Janola were the ones raising their thoughts against this approach, causing no small deal of headache to the teen Saiyan trying to keep this mission from falling apart before it even has begun.

"Sir." One of the pilots called out to the youngest Saiyan present, his exalted voice ringing loudly inside the ship. "We have one pressing situation up ahead."

The commanding officers, mostly the members of the Elite squad and also Lettu, hastily stepped inside the flight deck.

"Report!" Ordered Lettu in a commanding voice.

"Look up ahead, sir." Replied one of the two pilots. "Our target's route is tracing directly to that planet." The ground soldier, a fairly young Saiyan woman, pointed to the biggest monitor in front of her. "However, as you can see, we have a problem."

All their eyes dart towards the giant purple planet at the screen. Its atmosphere looks complete chaos, swirling everywhere, cracks at the areal surface, and ethereal explosions flying outwards to space.

Even with the extreme hazardous look oozing from that place, the worse is coming from outside that world itself. Various vessels are spread all over the planet, bombarding lesser crafts towards the atmosphere all the while shooting laser-powered weapons everywhere.

"Blogatas bite my butt… did we just stumble upon a freaking invasion?!" Aonori shoots his hands to the air.

"Looks like it." Cabba fixated his gaze on the screen, his skin began to crawl at the sight in front of his eyes. So many worlds razed and civilization wiped without mercy; these are the consequences of ruthless planetary raids such as this. From his early days as a cadet until now, Cabba and the soldiers from his generation had barely faced situations like that, but they all heard the stories from open space warfare. Those horror stories are the source of the skin-crawling tormenting him at this moment.

"Orders, sir…" The other pilot, an older bald Saiyan man, glanced back towards Cabba. His face the picture of concern.

"We go in obviously!" Lettu roared in response, his voice despite being a bit child-like because of his age still carries a powerful ring in it.

Both pilots looked at Cabba waiting for his word, which deeply irritates his younger brother.

"As Lettu said, we have to examine the situation properly." Cabba looked at Lettu for a moment, giving him an apologetic glance for taking command out of him, then charged forward towards the central panels. "I understand you worry; this is not a vessel made for combat. That's why we will avoid their vessels completely. Land us somewhere safe and evacuate from the atmosphere."

"Sir?" The female pilot looked a Cabba even more startled now. "Should we leave the planet, you will be stranded there… on a battlefield."

"We will use the communicator to call you in any eventual need for extraction. If this vessel gets compromised in the fight, we would be truly stranded in this place." Cabba patted both pilots on their shoulders and then turned back towards the others. "Warn the soldiers. Ah… we march for battle."

Standing out from the group of four, Cavassa stepped forward and raised one hand to her forehead. "Aye, sir." Turning on her heels, the tall woman marched towards the backside of the ship, making sure to get the rookies ready.

"Should I officially hand control over this operation to you?" Lettu asked, his stare unmoving on his brother.

"Take it easy, kid." Aonori tried to step in, but before he could continue saying anything to Lettu, one firm grasp on his shoulder stopped him.

"Lettu, don't make a scene." Cabba warned; a slight coldness in his tone.

Surprised for the confrontation instead of an apology, Lettu just clicked his tongue and darted out of the room. This act of frustration was not guided by jealousy or envy. Lettu has grown accustomed to being forced in a position of command, forced to take reign over the situation in the stead of others. Yet, despite everything he does in the force and for the force, people still treat him with doubt and skepticism. Even with all the responsibility he needs to shoulder, whenever it matters most, he is just a kid in their eyes.

Cabba sighed, feeling a dug in his chest for overruling his brother in his own mission. However, the situation has escalated a thousand-fold. By the look of things, this is a full ongoing war; and this is way over Lettu's head.

As brilliant and reliable as his little brother is, Cabba knows how inexperienced Lettu is in the field. This is not the usual troublesome day inside the chaotic office of the Defense Force, this is a real battle situation; something that is far beyond the young soldier's capabilities to lead.

"You're doing the right call, Cabba." Said a serious Aonori, a rare occurrence. "He is smart and brave, but this looks like serious crap."

"Go get ready yourself, Aonori." Cabba turned to his two friends, shooting Janola a glance that direct the same command to him.

Aonori shrugged and nodded. "Aye." He casually tapped Janola in his arm and stepped towards the door.

Both soldiers walked out of the room, leaving Cabba alone with his thoughts while the two pilots are sweating in their seats as they navigate closer into the planet.

Fiddling nervously with something inside the pocket of his pants, Cabba got a serious look in his face. Thoughts eating the corners of his mind, making him uncomfortable and wary of the space around him. 'I hope you are wrong, Asparus.' Clicking his tongue in frustration as terrible images began to flicker into his head, Cabba walked out of the deck himself; making sure to be prepared for whatever is to come.

Another battle to his resume. But his guts are telling him that this one will be nothing like the other ones. And if his gut-feeling is right, they are inbounded to a world of hurt.

* * *

"Bwahaaaaaaaaaaaa!" One banshee-like screech stormed all over the entire palace, first-time visitors or newcomers to the working staff all cowered in a corner, scared out of their minds because of it. Everyone else just continued their business as usual, well aware of the source of this hellish scream.

A muffin, one piece of bread and them one round sweet ball, instantly all three disappeared inside one hungry Saiyan's mouth. Chewing energetically on her food, Caulifla makes a lot of noises, happy noises.

"Kaleee…." With her mouth stuffed with food, Caulifla fawns over to the side, nudging softly against her best friend's arm. Taking one hard gulp, she downs everything in her throat letting out a long sigh right after. "I really missed this place, the food here is sooooo good. I could eat all of this." She points at the rich banquet resting on the large round table in front of them.

Kale smiles warmly as her friend continues her rampage throughout the dishes. "Please enjoy yourself. We made this especially for you."

Caulifla just nods happily, one large chicken leg resting on her right hand as he uses the left one to swallow an entire bowl of soup.

After cleaning out most of the food that was placed in front of her, Caulifla rests her back against her seat, exhaling a puff of air like an old man enjoying a hot bath on a cold night. "Man, your cooks are magicians. I like to cook some food from time to time, but I could never do something as delicious as they do."

A glint of pride shines at Kales's eyes, her lips pressing together in a soft grin. "I am glad you liked it." Taking her cup of tea to her lips, she quietly giggles at Caulifla for praising the food so honestly. "To tell you the truth, the palace chef is on a vacation for the week. Asparus was the one who made most of the food, I helped a tiny bit."

Caulifla went from enjoying her cool drink to spitting said drink like a fountain spits water in the air. "WHAT?!" She shouted in a high-pitched tone. "The food… all that delicious food, wimp made it?!"

Kale giggled again, nodding swiftly in response. "That he did."

Like a hardheaded kid that has been tricked into something, Caulifla shifts uncomfortably in her seat, brooding with a frown as she curses a few words quietly. "What is up with those guys and cooking? I tried for years now and I can't get close to Cabba's cooking, now this?" She crosses her arm, adjusting herself properly in her seat all the while taking hold of her cup of cold tea, playing nonchalantly her previous outburst.

"Normally Asparus doesn't use the kitchen, even if he is naturally good at it. But today has been really hard on him. Cooking is like a therapy for him, an opportunity to forget about his problems a little." Kale glanced to the side, letting her gaze floats around the space of the balcony.

A subtle silence befell on them. Kale keeping his pensive look in her eyes, while Caulifla just stares at her with a suspicious frown on her face. It was then that Caulifla's awareness spread around the entire place instead of being surely focused on the table or at Kale.

The dim light of the setting sun is bathing the royal balcony they are on, the same balcony that Asparus and Kale have most of their dates and romantic dinners. As per previous decorations for such occasions, the place is one of the most beautiful and yet simplistic places in the palace. Vases full of lush and colorful flowers sit at the utmost corners. Two sets of tables and chairs are the chosen furniture, with Kale and Caulifla using one of them while the other rests empty on the other side.

At the walls of the palace, next to the giant double doors leading inside, are two marble arches with a curtain of green leaves making an organic roof from one to the other, serving as spots to cover under the sun with three white benches spreading across this space in front of the wall.

In one of the said benches, there are two quiet bystanders to Kale and Caulifla's little date. The Saiyan King himself is sitting on the far-left bench at the closest spot to the small ceramic fence-wall. He holds in his hands a small baby girl that is unusually quiet for her energetic personality.

King and baby, both locked in a wordless exchange where one tilts the head to a side and the other follows. They keep going like this, studying each other with deep interest, in minutes without end. Corabi a very young Saiyan girl that is curious about anything, always attentive to new things that appear in front of her, including people; Now the most curious one of the duo is the young king, looking at Cora as if she is the most outlandish thing he has ever seen in his life, a type of reaction that he never had in his numerous interactions with her before.

"Kale, what the hell is wrong with your husband?" Caulifla pointed a finger to the man sitting away from them. She watches as her daughter and he exchanges curious glances at each other, completely baffled by the weird interaction they are having. "Did he hit his head or something? He is looking at Cora as if she was the first baby he has ever seen in his life."

Turning to look at the scene, Kale smiled tenderly at her husband. "It has finally dawned on him, huh." Her words making Caulifla look at her and tilt an eyebrow. "I told him today… I told that I'm pregnant."

"Oh… That explains a lot." Caulifla nodded in her reply. She can testify the sudden weirdness that occurs to husbands in general after hearing the news; as in her case, Cabba had become insufferably protective of her in the first weeks, going as far as to fight against bugs that tried to approach her. While it was sweet in a silly way, she quickly grew tired of having him bossing her around like she was a helpless woman. "Did he freak out?" She asked with a devilish grin.

"Shouting or desperately yelling? No, he was strangely calm about it, but I cannot say that he is absolutely normal either." Kale sighed deeply, thinking about the small changes already occurring to him, and even if they are silent ones, they worry her very much. "He is twice more impatient than before. Prone to get angry at his subordinates more easily and that gentleness that he always had while talking with people has been replaced by a cold edge."

"That's strange… A bit odd wimp I can picture, but a wimp on the edge?" She looked back at him, squinting her eyes the same way she did at Cabba hours ago. "They are hiding something from us, Kale. I can feel it."

"Hiding something?" Kale asked worriedly.

"Absolutely positive that they are hiding shit from us. Now I am more convinced than ever." Caulifla clicked her tongue, crossing her arms as she furrowed her brow in frustration. "That will not stand, I'm telling you now. Whatever is going on, we will find out and get super involved. That will teach them for keeping us out of the loop."

Taking another long sip from her tea, Caulifla fixated her gaze on Asparus, a piercing and powerful glare. They will regret taking her for a fool and she will make sure to take that regret and up it to a hundred. No secrets will be kept from them on this day, not from Caulifla and not from Kale.

* * *

Trampling feet scoured across the broken ground, cracked deep orange dirt filled with raising dust.

Rhythmic steps guide their march forward, each soldier looking sharp and poised. Yet some of them are quietly grumbling the orders they received. From the moment they landed on this strange planet, Cabba gave one strict command to each and every one of them.

"We march on ground! Try to recall the lessons you learned about ki and how to hide your presence." His voice while low to keep their arrival a secret for as long as possible, still resonated with every nervous-looking soldier, all of them debuting for the first time in a real warfare scenario.

"Yes, sir!"

Now, they are all skulking in between the tumultuous landscape, keeping themselves on formation but remaining within the shadows.

The Saiyan scouting forces continue going forward without backup and without an escape route, as the ship that brought them here is already far away from the planet's atmosphere. As the motto that the old-guards always prided themselves, there will be no failure. Either they succeed or they are completely screwed over.

A few minutes at a steady pace was enough for them to reach some sort of proximity to one of the local settlements, a fairly big city made of weirdly shaped houses with no sign of entrance to them and some even physics-defying ones, floating fairly high above the ground.

"Wait a minute." Janola's voice sounded above the stomping sound of their feet. Cabba halting his movements at the lead, every other soldier stopped with him, turning to look at the tall Saiyan man in the middle of them. "This place, there is no mistaking it. I've been here before, together with Coorin."

Cabba's rigid expression softening even if a little, this glint of interest flashing in his eyes. "Any previous contact with the local civilization?" He asked straight to Janola, the others opening the way for them stand face to face.

"Yes, without a doubt." Janola began. "We crashed here after one bad, bad, fallout from a battle. The people here are quirky, strange even. But they are peaceful, from what I remember we couldn't even feel their ki." Curious gazes set upon the duo-color haired Saiyan; as the greenhorns they are, these young soldiers relish on the opportunity to learn anything new about the innumerable races across the universe. "They are called Tatabi. Small fellows with extremely dark skin, round heads like bubbles, and large glowing yellow eyes."

"Harmless creatures then?" Cabba pondered to himself for a moment, his eyes sliding down as one hand rest against his lips. Flashes of the raining fire descending upon the planet cross his mind, making him suck his breath in.

"Cabba, we have to do something about this." Janola stepped forward, his eyes resolute but swirling with deep horror. "I don't know why someone would invade these people, but this is no war. This is a slaughter."

"Then forget about walking there!" Lettu raises his voice, his stern eyes burning with rightfulness anger. "We can't keep sneaking in the shadows while they are being killed, right?!" He pointed his gaze to his brother, pleading with a silent request.

Cabba growled quietly at the question and the look he is getting from Lettu. Of course, that is the number one priority now, if he had this information beforehand he would have flown at full speed towards the ongoing chaos from the very start.

"Everyone, get ready. We will charge in full haste." Stepping ahead of his squad, Cabba aimed his attention to the tempestuous noises coming from the city, his eyes now catching the subtle flashes of explosion coming from there. "Engage the invading force with caution and stay close to your companions." Clenching his fists in front of him, Cabba exploded his power in a transparent aura around him. "No one plays the hero, you hear me?" He glanced back at his comrades.

"Sir!" Everyone replied with a roar.

Following Cabba's lead, all Saiyans brought out their ki, propelling them rocket-fast towards the sky as they flew towards the city.

Took little to no time for them to reach the air space above the houses, from there they could see the reality crashing upon these people. As Janola said, this is not a real battle not even close to one. Small dark-skinned creatures are being hunted down by attackers with three times their size. However, while the little bubble-heads are incapable of fighting their aggressors back, they are still maintaining some semblance of defense, protecting themselves with an invisible shell that surrounds their bodies, repelling most attacks.

"ENGAGE!" Cabba shouted his command, pointing down towards the burning streets.

One by one, the Saiyan soldiers scattered across the city, jumping on top of the towering invaders and putting themselves in front of the little creatures.

Serving as the spearhead of their formation, Cabba is the one deeper inside the chaos. Feeling his power rush across his members, the flew down like a meteor, crashing explosively at two enemies at the same time.

Two Tatabi screamed in panic with their high-pitch voices after he landed in front of them, seeing their aggressors get buried inside the ground made them tremble uncontrollably. One of the little creatures looked at Cabba with awe but only for mere moments before they scrambled away from him, shouting with ever-increasing terror.

Cabba's explosive entrance earned more than the fear of the little Tatabi, every invader in the closer radius instantly turned their attention to him. Five of them surrounded his sides, their faces pale and blank; no eyes, no mouth, and no ears, just white blank surface.

Their appearance is not the only spooky trait about these invaders. Each step or even a simple sway of the arms, and chilling creaking sounds echoes around them. Like gears grinding and moving heavily, the sounds they make are soulless and terrorizing by nature.

Facing a scary opponent is nothing new to Cabba, especially to Cabba. From literal Gods to genocidal tyrants, he has encountered countless forces that normally would scare the fighting spirit out of any Saiyan. But these creatures are on another whole level.

Menacing like a methodical predator, they move in perfect sync, not a single movement is different in their pattern. Again, not a scary thing to see. What it's nerve-wracking about these things is what Cabba can't feel. Something inside of him tells that they are dangerous, even for him. Yet he can't feel a drop of ki in them. The life energy of every creature, everything in the universe; but those blank-face things have not a shred of it.

As if they were done with their meticulous analysis of their target, the creaking sounds cease. All five of them stop completely frozen in place, staring with their eyeless face at Cabba. Then from a spark of nothingness they all spring to life at the same time.

The first one jumps in for his back, slashing forward with its hand. More crackling noises flew high as its round fingers twists and turn into sharp daggers, flying upwards aiming at Cabba's flesh.

Swinging his body to the left, Cabba twirled away from the attack, leaving the creature to fly past him. In instinct he pressed his boots against the dusty ground, reading himself to counterattack right as he dodged the first blow, but as he arched his right arm to swing it forward, another pair of sharp claws came flying at him from his left side.

Using his blinding speed, he ducked below the arching slash, once again letting one of his attackers fly past him. A ringing noise echoes at the back of his head, a natural alarm screaming at him of incoming danger. His gaze darted downwards, finding the twisted form of one of these metallic things, legs practically 'broken', making it stand with its back against the ground but still maintaining a firm stand over their feet.

Cabba jumped in urgency, evading a deadly thrust coming from his opponent merged arms.

This ongoing stream of impeccable assaults is making Cabba increasable frustrated and irritated. With his speed, he should be able to outmaneuver all of them and quickly dispatch the entire group, yet with their spotless teamwork, he has barely any room to breathe let alone attack. It was at this moment, as he noticed three of them leaping towards him, that Cabba had enough of this play.

Roaring with a powerful shout, he exploded his ki in its most powerful form. Gathering that power in his core, Cabba pushed past the limit of his race, ascending to Super Saiyan, that familiar golden glow enveloping him as his strength escalate to a level far beyond his normal.

In this form, even his vision is enhanced. His eyes moving in swift form, glancing at all of them at moments difference. Like a yellow blur, he vanished in thin air, appearing behind one of the creatures, hammering it down onto the ground with a destructive punch.

As the emotionless weapons they are, none of the four even flinched as one of them just got bend in half in the most unnatural way possible. They just resumed their aggression, jumping in with the same ferocity as before.

Seeing their movements with newfound clarity, Cabba dodged each strike with incredible ease. He squatted right in the middle of the entire group, his eyes darting to each of them at a time. Spreading his hands open, he made two sets of glowing blue orbs, each set floating at the palm of his hands. Shooting his arms up, Cabba released four beams of energy at them, one beam to every opponent.

With the risen dust settling down, small metallic bits came flying down; gears and springs showing the true nature of these invaders, at least the ones attacking this place.

"Cabba!" Lettu landed swiftly beside his brother, the younger soldier with his hair glowing in gold, his green eyes staring down at the mess of junk next to his brother. "They are robots…" He stated the obvious.

His brother nodded and scanned the area around them. "The others?" He asked, still looking for every member of the team. For what he can see, they are all unharmed and safe with a few of them gasping for air and sweating with mild exhaustion.

"Each officer fought one-on-one against these machines; the other soldiers formed groups of three against one." Lettu explained. "You took on half of them. I think we wiped them out of the area."

Slowly the team began to gather around Cabba, the greenhorns looking strangely tired after just one quick fight.

"What we do now?" Janola asked. He is wiping the dripping sweat out of his chin, his breathing a bit uneven as his body cools down.

Cabba stared at his friend, then shifted his gaze to the environment around them. Destruction is far spread but controlled in most ways, houses have cracks in their walls and even sparks of fire in their roof, yet they are standing strong. The little natives have all scattered inside their homes, a few curious yellow eyes are present in the shadow watching their strange saviors with cautious.

"I…" Cabba draws his thoughts, thinking a proper strategy for the moment, but finding a strange blank in his mind. "As much as I want to halt this invasion… we are clearly unable to do so." He eyes the ground soldiers, his features changing into a slight frown. "Any of you are hurt?"

"N-No, sir!" One of them replied, but his trepid voice didn't give much credibility to that claim. "Some of us are just… tired."

A sigh of exasperation coming from the tallest member of their team. Cavassa arched forward, hands resting against her knees. "Something is not… right." She said in a long dragged out way. Her legs almost giving in as she squats over, large droplets of sweat falling from her face onto the dusty floor. "Took me a while to squash that piece of metal… but I barely used my power. Yet, it feels like I wasted all of it."

"We should rest." Aonori raised his voice. His gaze is all but focused on his tall partner, his clown personality vanishing behind a wall of concern. "I know that it's unproductive to lay down after one simple fight like this one, but…"

"Sorry, Aonori. We have no time to rest." Cabba's stern voice pierced the exhausted Saiyans' chest like a cold dagger.

"This is unreasonable!" Lettu stormed in protest, his gaze also fixated on Cavassa, the glint of worry in his eyes making her blush a little. "I understand the need to press forward with a mission like ours. But they need to rest."

Cabba clicked his tongue. "Don't whine at me." He hissed at Lettu, looking back towards his brother and then glancing up to the sky. "Try to reason with them." He points at the gargantuan spacecraft floating on the sky above them, its size so big that the shadow it makes felt almost natural, the reason why no one had noticed it before.

The belly of this hovering monstrosity has one giant crystalline shape at its core, glistering with a strange glow, reflective as a dark mirror glaring down upon the planet. Surrounding this impossibly big gem are hundreds of cannons, all hummed and turning, those long metallic tubs pointing down towards them.

One thunderous barrage flew out from them, raining down a flurry of metallic balls that crashed heavily on the ground, making dozens of small craters where they landed. The aimed spot it's outside the city's limits, behind a wall of strange purple trees.

In complete silence, the Saiyans dread in suspension. It took little more than a minute for them to start hearing an echoing stampede of metallic feet marching towards them.

One, two, five, ten, twenty… With each blank white face that popped from behind the tree range, two more appeared just behind it.

"Y-You… gotta be shitting me." Aonori gaped in terror as the same robots that gave them a small amount of trouble just moments before are swarming towards them like insects flooding out from a hive.

"That's too many of them… We can't fight an army of those things!" Lettu exclaimed loudly, swinging his arm to the side. "Not in the state we are in."

"And we can't flee either." Janola reasoned. "They are quite literally hovering above our heads, there's not an escape route open for us."

"Then we fight." Cabba jumped in, his commanding tone making everyone look at him. "If you can't fight by yourself, then stand beside a comrade and aid each other." Putting himself at the face front of the group, Cabba reached in for his power, erupting his golden aura around him even stronger than before. "Do not falter. Do not give up and most importantly… Do not die." He glances behind him, a steel-firm resolve in his eyes. "That's an order."

Watching his back with a sparkling gaze of admiration, the young soldiers felt their bodies heat with an empowering emotion. They are exhausted, tired, and honestly, scared out of their wits. But having their hero standing like an unmovable mountain in front of them fills them with an undying determination to stand at his side and fight.

Now, even if Cabba's small speech had one impressive impact on his team, the reality is slowly but steadily creeping upon them. The swarm of robots is all around them, circling them, making sure to block any direction they could possibly run to.

When the tiniest of spots got covered by white metallic legs, the silent army stopped and froze in place. The terror of eyeless stares crashed upon the Saiyan group, this choking feeling invading their senses, making their minds shiver at the emotionless and predatory movement of these things.

"T-they… stopped?" Cavassa asked baffled. "What are they doing?"

"Mocking us, that's what those freaks are doing." Aonori spat angrily. At the edge of his nerves, the small Saiyan reached a loose stone next to his feet and hurled it at the white masses. The pointy projectile hit square on the head of one of those robots making everyone suck in their breath, thinking that this was the spark that would push the motionless robots against them.

The echoing sound of a rock grazing metal still lingers in the air, but not a single step forward was taken.

"Are you insane?!" Lettu hissed at Aonori, his burning glare would pierce the man's head if it could. "Why would you stir them and rob us of any moment of reprise?"

Aonori grits his teeth, his gaze going down as his shoulders deflate in shame. "I… was not thinking."

Then a wave of steps sounded out, startling them in their core. Two rows of the robots turned to a side, one row to the right and the other to the left, each staring at the other, making a straight path in their ranks. From within this opening, soft and more organic pacing echoed out.

From the sea of expressionless robots, a man of distinct features stepped out. A man of pinkish skin, fair dark hair in a square haircut; he is dressed as an office worker, dark brown suit, long pants, and comfortable shoes; clothed as if he was strolling around his workplace. His eyes study the situation in front of him, taking into account every face looking back at him.

"Ah… the intruders I got alerted to." His voice is calm and collected, showing a different kind of coldness that the machines around him have plastered in their blank faces. "Hm… what… are you?"

"We are members of Sadala's army. Saiyan soldiers." Cabba stepped forward, taking the man's gaze all to himself. "As the people responsible for the peace in our universe, we are curious about this raid of ours. What kind of people would ruthlessly attack an innocent civilization like this?"

The man stares at him in silent contemplation, his face is solemn as ever, not showing a slight sign of concern. "Your questions are meaningless and for such will be ignored." He simply declared, waving one hand in the air as he spoke. "However, I got a notification about Saiyans." He casually pulls out a pad, scrolling at its screen with his thin fingers. "Ah, yes. Here it is." He brings one hand to his mouth and clears his throat to start his formal speech. "From the orders of my master, Lord Yagura himself, all Saiyans that surrenders to our custody shall receive fair treatment and will not suffer any harm." He finishes his speech, puts away his pad, and glances at then with expectation, even offering a smile at the end.

"Yagura?" Lettu raises the question. "Who the hell is that?"

"Master of the wizards from the Twin Moons syndicate and one head of the imperial trinity." The man bows gently as if introducing himself. "But of course, you would know nothing of those names. Giving the secrecy of our organization."

"Imperial trinity…." Cabba clenches his gaze at the man. This name has appeared numerous times in his investigation before, and always related to something bad. "You're allied with the Tuffles, then?"

"Ah-ha…" The man raised one hand, shaking a finger from side to side. "I offered one answer in a gesture of goodwill. You've yet to confirm your intentions. At the present moment, you're all our enemies. Accept surrender and I shall arrange an audience with my master."

"Stop with the joking already, you dumbass." Janola roared from his spot. "No one here will surrender to you."

"Is this… a shared opinion?" The man addressed his question to everyone that his gaze could find.

"Fuck off already, you weirdo." Aonori is the one shouting now. "Saiyans don't give up and sure as hell, we don't surrender ourselves to raiders and scumbag criminals!"

"A shame…" He exhales slowly. The man looks disappointed, almost sad. "I would love to run a few tests in one of your kind." Shaking his head in disapproval, he turns on his heels as his army of robots opens another pathway for him. "Destroy them."

After just two words were spoken, all hell broke loose.

* * *

\- Chapter End -


	12. Chapter 12 - Reverie of The Moon

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

_**AN: I would like to try something a bit new on this chapter, well not really new but just different to this story. I will be leaving a song, name and youtube link, at the right part. Of course, you don't need to listen to it if you don't want to, but this song represents what I want to convey in that particular scene, just a little something extra.**_

_**Oh, and if you have any suggestion about songs you think fits the story or a scene in particular, feel free to share with me. I will check both the song and your suggestion. **_

* * *

**\- Chapter 12 -**

* * *

There is a point when the body reaches its limit, a breakpoint that turns every little aspect a person knows about themselves into uncertainties. A swing of an arm; the same arching form, the same amount of energy poured into it, yet the punch never reaches the previous range. Firm feet pressing onto the ground, pushing against gravity to launch the person in the air as countless jumps before; but now they barely escape the firmness bellow them for moments, inches, then landing trembling on the same spot.

With a trembling arm, Cabba watch as the soldiers behind him give into exhaustion. Through the lenses of sweat and hot breaths, he witnesses their small army crumble under the unrelenting swarm of robots.

Clenching his jaw in exasperation, he is grinding his teeth. Unable to think clearly, unable to get more than five seconds of reprise before another robot jumps onto him. Cabba is slowly but surely losing space, forced to take steps and more steps backward, letting himself and the Saiyans behind him get pushed by their enemies.

Trying to overwhelm the cry of desperation rising in his chest, the young Saiyan hero roars into the air, his power spiking up, making his aura grow bigger and brighter. Forcing his arm to reach forward without hinder, Cabba blasted the robot's head out of its neck, sending the faceless thing flying away.

"J-Janola!" He called out to his friend, the first name to stuck at his tongue in this state. Spinning on his spot, Cabba glanced at the battlefield around him, his body shivering with a cold terror after seeing how little of his comrades are still standing.

To his right, Janola is standing tall with his big form, keeping each robot trying to break in away from the fallen Saiyans. To the left, Aonori and Cavassa are barely standing on their feet, the odd-duo fighting together even after their limit has passed; the proof of their utter burnout is the jet-black color of their hair with the golden glow of the Super Saiyan long gone from them. The other one still standing is none other than Cabba's little brother. Standing as an unbreakable bastion in the rear-guard, Lettu is fighting with fervor and grit; the boy, while facing less than his pears for his position in the back, still is the only one without taking even a step back from where he started.

"JANOLA!" This time, Cabba let his voice echoes on the battlefield. However, the strength he put in his voice seems to be everything he had left, as his golden hair reverted to black almost instantly, his legs shivering in place as he barely kept himself from falling.

Startled by the roaring call coming from his left, Janola shot his gaze to the source of this voice. Panic flashing in his eyes after he saw his friend losing his Super Saiyan Two form. "Cabba!" He turned his body in a hurried movement, trying to make his way to Cabba and keeping him from falling. But before he could take a step forward, Cabba himself raised a hand to him, commanding Janola to stand in place.

"We can't…" Having thousand of words to speak, yet barely having the energy to say two. Cabba yelled angrily at the air, angry at his body for being so weak and tired, furious with himself for allowing his people to be in this position. He slapped himself on both cheeks, the sound of it echoing around him, the impact leaving two red spots on his skin. "I need you to take everyone away from this place!" He ordered, regaining his voice and energy.

"What?!" Janola shouted in reply. He turned his gaze away from Cabba just to punch another robot far away from him, then looked back at his friend. "Even if I could carry everyone in my arms. There is like a sea of those things around us."

"Then, I will draw them away from you." Cabba firmly stated, his face serious as it could be despite the ludicrous claim. "Janola, whatever happens here… I want you to protect them. I need you to stand strong."

"Well, of course. I will fight until my legs can't stand anymore, but…" Janola eyed his friend with a glint of concern. He knows that man since they were kids. Cabba is not hot-headed like Coorin, Cabba is not reckless like Janola is when his inner-rage gets out of control. For a soldier like him to choose a dangerous path like that is a testament for how royally screwed they all are. "Where… where do we go from here?"

A low chuckle escaped the young Saiyan hero. Giving a response should not be hard, not to a question as easy as that. However, he finds himself silent against those words. "We fight." He said with a low tone, his gaze trailing to the side as he turned to face the horde staring at him. "Until every single one of them is nothing but a pile of fuming scraps, we will fight!"

Cabba roared, he raised his voice as loud as he could as his body exploded with more power than ever before. His head instantly snapped back at the incredible surge of ki flowing through his system, this unbridled power, unbridled rage taking over his core, taking over all of him. In the snap of a moment, the transparent coat of energy grazing his skin like a protective shell twisted in itself, taking a more violent shape, a more glowing color to it.

With one more burst of power flowing out of him, he completely changed into another form of being altogether. One transformation he hasn't even visited from what has been years, the reach of desperation that allowed him to destroy Freeza. In his moment of deepest need, Cabba transcended yet again into his Super Saiyan Rage form.

From the sheer pressure of blue and golden ki, the waves of robots got pushed away. However, this overwhelming power is not without consequences, as his presence alone is enough to suffocate the Saiyans laying on the ground, that even in their unconscious state are struggling to reach for air.

"With this… YOUR INVASION IS OVER!" Shooting his words like a wave of power, Cabba threw himself toward in a straight line, the earth beneath him splitting in half as he cruises forward in flashing speed.

One punch and the army of faceless menace wavered, a massive line cleared in their ranks, a line where no whole robot stood in place. With one strike, Cabba blasted dozen of them with ease, it was like he was punching grains of sand out in the wind. But as the dust of this one punch settled down, this line got filled again by the ones standing at the side, covering their ranks yet again with white faceless and soulless warriors.

Furrowing his brow, Cabba accepted their silent challenge. He will crush their numbers, no matter how many of them takes the place of those who fall, he will destroy and break until none still stands. Letting his rage explode, Cabba charged into them yet again, letting himself be surrounded by nothing but white and metal.

He punched, kicked, and blasted his ki forward with reckless abandon. Every action he did cause groups of them to break and fall, yet his space got smaller at each breathing he takes. Their numbers seem endless, and without a heart to stir fear into, these creatures just continue marching to their death, in the hopes that this mechanical dance will eventually triumph over one single enemy.

It is numbing. Feeling his strikes having so little effect on the overall scale of this battle is maddening to Cabba. He is so much above his enemy that it is not even funny. Alone these robots can't even stand the pressure of his aura, and how weak they are, is taking any thrill of a battle that makes Saiyans crave this type of situation.

Which lands Cabba in a terrible spot and an unsolvable problem.

The more he fights, the less he wants to fight. There is no challenge for him, there is nothing for him as a Saiyan to latch onto and push himself forward. But with each one he takes down, two more takes its place. The more of them appear to attack Cabba, the weaker he grows.

He will lose.

This though haunts his mind, making him cringe at the spot.

No matter how much he struggles; they will overwhelm him.

His world came to a halt for a single moment, all the swinging of claws and firing of lasers stopped in frozen time. He tried to drink at the colors of his surrounding, but his mind went numb with a swift glint, this light calling him to a memory, one image.

Caulifla and Corabi looking at him, both of them smiling happily to their loved one. This felt so real that Cabba tried to reach forward and touch them, but as his hand reached closer to Caulifla's cheek, this still image crashed into an abyss of darkness, melting back to the real world that lives and breathes around him.

'Cabba, this is not a war.' Asparus' words hovered above Cabba's thoughts. 'In a war, two forces clash against one another. This isn't it! We are being hunted, without a hint of who the hunter is.'

He felt himself get absorbed back into his mind again, this time to the moment he lived in front of his house this morning.

'I've been working with the same type of… technology, magic… I don't know what to call it.' Asparus' sighed, but only in voice, as he is a static image to Cabba's eyes. 'The things that were used in the fourth universe's invasion. I want you to take one of these orbs. I have this feeling that I cannot shake away, this feeling that something will go wrong.'

'Asparus, stop talking like-' Cabba's words echoed in this time-frozen world but stopped as his friend groaned at him.

'Just take it.' Rustling noises of fabric sounded off, despite not a single movement coming from the young king. 'I don't want things to go back. Is just… this feeling. Think of your wife, your little daughter. If anything were to happen to you, they would be devastated.'

Cabba felt his gaze from before, the one he directed at Caulifla. The same sickening ache storming his chest. The idea of leaving them behind was so wrong to him, that the mere thought almost made him gag.

'Just pour your ki into this orb.' Asparus instructed. 'Put your will into this little beacon and I will come to you.'

As if he was rudely awakened from the deepest dream, Cabba jerked forward and back into the moving world around him. His previous reality coming back to him teen times fold, as claws upon claws grazed and slashed at his arms and legs.

The pain that invaded his senses is nothing compared to the repulsive thought of leaving his family behind. This sensation in his chest pushed him to the limit of his rage, the spike of power flourishing in him is like nothing he has felt before.

It was at this moment that Cabba finally noticed what has been going wrong for them since the start. As soon as his ki exploded back to its highest peak, it quickly began to fade away, but not only fade; it was being sucked away by invisible tendrils surrounding him.

Throwing his head upwards, he followed a transparent line flowing up and up to the sky. He felt like a part of himself was being pulled and dragged to the giant sphere attached to the belly of that ship.

It all dawned on him. His companions were more than a match to these things, even Janola alone would be enough to wipe the floor with this entire army and he would not break a sweat. But all this time, during every battle they have faced since landing on this planet, their ki has been getting drained out of their bodies, weakening them, killing them ever so slowly.

That spaceship is the key, and Cabba would make sure to act on his discovery.

Holding tight to his flowing energy, Cabba summoned every inch of his strength in his core. He crossed his arms and gathered his ki deep inside of him. Going fast to avoid that energy drain from taking away his last hope, he pushed both arms to the side and unleashed a portion of his power in a crushing barrier.

The swarming robots around him got exploded to bits, the second and third wave coming behind them, all wavered and toppled on top of each other, giving him ample space to maneuver.

Taking this scarce moment of reprise, Cabba turned his aim straight to the gargantuan craft floating far above them, his arms shooting to his right side; one hand resting on top of the other.

"Watching us from above… Expecting us to just roll over and die." He felt his visage turn to a furious glare; his green eyes fixated at that gloom glow of their hidden weapon. "Your last mistake will be to overestimate a Saiyan!"

A violent purple orb came to life in front of Cabba's united hands, floating casually just above the palm of his inner hand. This little ball quickly expanded in something five times its previous size, the crackling energy unstable and desperate to fly free in the air.

"**Super GALICK-HO**!" Purple swallowed blue and golden, this piercing light enveloped Cabbas as a whole, flowing from his body and exploding out from his hands. The recoil alone of this technique pushed Cabba against the ground, digging his feet inside the earth and dust, cracking the surface beneath him.

Purple spiral of pure power raced towards the sky, seeking mercilessly its target in a hungering need to explode.

Feeling the weight crashing against his attack made Cabba smile, he knew that something got struck by his Galick-Ho, and with the amount of power he put in it, that something would blow to a million pieces. His smirk, however, faded away when he saw pieces and more pieces of those faceless robots rain from the sky.

Glancing past the blinding purple light flowing from him, Cabba saw a massive curtain made of them stand between his attack and the ship. For each robot that got struck and exploded, more took its place. Soon, every robot that was on land fighting against the remaining Saiyans, activated rockets boosts out from their legs and backs, taking flight and going towards that white barrier on the sky.

Cabba watched with a dropped jaw as his entire Galick-Ho got 'absorbed' be the corpse of thousands of those machines. Cabba last remaining streak of energy disappeared, the swarm got culled into the small number of ten robots, with all of them standing in place and standby waiting for their next order.

Janola and Lettu rushed to Cabba as he fell to his knees, his aura of power disappearing to nothing and his hair reverted to black.

"They… suicided themselves." Lettu said, a little terrified of the zealous display from those things.

"K-Key…" Cabba said quietly, almost like a whisper. "The ship is the key… It's draining our ki."

Janola's gaze flew towards that massive gem at the belly of the ship. He cursed to himself, biting his lips in exasperation. "That's why they feel so hard to beat… I couldn't use half of my power and I didn't even notice."

A playful chuckle came from Cabba, one that carried little to no goodwill in it. "Don't kick yourself over it." He said, looking at Janola to his side. "It's so subtle, so minimal… It was only when I went beyond Super Saiyan Two that I caught the off feeling of my energy being sucked away from me. The more I tried to raise my ki, the more it was pulled away."

"Then we just blast that thing out of the sky!" Lettu stated firmly as he trod forward. "With that last attack, you practically wiped them all. We can finish this, right?" He tossed his question at Janola, giving the tall man a serious glance that was meet with one of caution.

Wiping the heavy drops of sweat away from his eyebrows, Janola sighed calmly and closed his eyes. He weighted everything in his mind and prepared a reply to Lettu's words. But before he could utter any word past his lips, heavy mechanical noises startled all three of them at the same time.

Those dreading cannons began to stir and then move. Yet, instead of turning and aiming down at the Saiyans yet again, they started to shrink and withdraw into the heavy shell of the craft. After the surface was clean and smooth, it began to stir in its entirety and shift in a weird way.

Tearing the clouds with heavy grinding noises, one straight line appeared from the north most side, stopping at the gem and then continuing past it and going down to the end. That lower shell serving as the belly of this entire spacecraft split in two, opening like a giant container, revealing a dark interior full of flashing lights.

From within that place, another wave of robots came pouring down onto the place. This new wave, however, is nothing like the previous swarm of pale faceless robots.

Towering figures painted in black, molded in a goliath form and devoid of any individual feature. War tanks shapen in humanoid form, weapons made to obliterate instead of controlling and surrounding. The planet seems to shake at the weight of this new army landing on the ground, making deep craters under their feet.

Resuming the insufferable noise from before, the ship closed its gap. Showing that no more of those monsters would rain down upon them.

With the few smaller robots that were still left, after Cabba attempted to destroy that blasted floating fortress, they combined forces consist of twenty black armored giants and ten of the white ones. They walked side by side, marching in a mechanical pace towards their standing foes.

"Those black ones look like trouble, huh?" Janola said in jest, making Lettu glare at him. In truth, he is so at the edge of his nerves, that making fun of the situation is his small vent to not lose his mind completely.

"Can we take them?" Lettu asked, this time at Cabba. "How much stronger can they be? We just need to push through… We got this, right?"

His brother remained in silence. Kneeled and drained out of his energies, Cabba looks tired and defeated. His gaze is frozen but ever vigilant, watching as his foes get closer and closer to them.

"Cabba!" Lettu cried out in desperation. He jumps towards his brother and grabbed him by his shoulder. "We have to do this. If you can't fight, just stand in the back and I will deal with them. Give the order… Just give the order!"

Gliding his gaze ever so slowly to the side, Cabba eyed his brother and smiled faintly. "Raise your ki, Lettu…" Lettu looked at him with a troubled face, unsure of the command he was given. Seeing his brother confusion, Cabba's smile grew a bit wider. He reached to Lettu's hand and placed it against his clenched right hand. "I can't do this alone anymore. I don't have any energy left. So, Lettu… Just raise your ki and share it with me."

Slowly opening his hand, Cabba revealed the small blue orb resting in his grasp. The little gem is sparkling with a faint gloom, an infant light that is soothing and charming to the sight.

Lettu eyed the small orb with a spark of surprise in his eyes. He has never seen one of those things, but he has read numerous reports about something that looks exactly like that. Praying that his mind was not playing tricks on him, Lettu slowly closed his eyes and begun to gather his ki at the palm of his hand.

'Please…' The young Saiyan pleaded in his thoughts. 'Please, master… we need you.'

* * *

With the dusk calmly falling on the sky of Sadala, the uneventful afternoon at the palace is reaching its end, in more ways than just the nightfall approaching.

In the private and special balcony at the crown of the palace, Kale is having her own little time with Corabi in her hands. As much fun as she poked at her husband earlier for his interaction with the little girl, she now finds herself having something very similar to what he did.

Although Cora is much more 'talkative' with her surrogate aunt, the young queen is completely dazed by the reality of holding a baby in her hands; her head spinning with the idea that in the future she will have a baby of her own to hold.

Now, with Kale distracted in her little world accompanied by Cora. It's left to Asparus to entertain Caulifla as her host. Something that he would gladly do, any day at any time; given that she would simply cooperate with him.

Which of course…

"JUST SPIT IT OUT!" Caulifla yelled as angrily and menacing as she could, her face inches away from the young king's unimpressed visage. "I don't want to stare at your stupid face anymore that I need to. So do us both a favor, and loose your tongue. The faster you tell what you and Cabba are hiding, the faster I can look at anything that is not you."

From the long-range of reactions Asparus played out in his mind, he chooses to just breathe in and out ever so slowly, closing his eyes in a minor meditative state to clear the dark clouds forming in his head.

"If my face is so unpleasant to look at, please, feel free to look the other way." He raised his hand and politely pointed to the empty space behind Caulifla. "I have nothing to share with you."

"BULLSHIT!" Caulifla roared even more fiercely than before. Leaning down at Asparus, still sat on the bench, she pointed one finger at him and pressed it at his chest in a forceful manner. "I had enough of your little secret meetings. I had enough of how little he will share with me anymore. It all started on the day that this Tuffle thing came about." She glared daggers at him, showing how serious she is about the threat of beating any information out of him, should he choose to ignore her any longer.

"Please, go ahead and try something stupid." Asparus warned her with a glare of his own. "I am sure Cabba will be thrilled to get back home, just to find his wife locked up in jail for assaulting her king."

Gritting her teeth, Caulifla lost control of her temper. Before she could even register what she was doing, her left arm was mid-way in a swing, all that she could do was soft her fist and let the palm of her hand slap harshly at Asparus' scarred cheek.

Her eyes stayed on Asparus' frozen features. She felt a slight pang of guilt in her chest, an uncomfortable feeling that made her bit her lower lip. However, she held her ground in silence, not apologizing for her action, but holding a conflicted look in her eyes.

Kale, who had jumped out of her seat after hearing the sound of that slap, stepped closer to them in a hurry. In one of the rarest of reactions she has ever displayed, she glared at Caulifla for one fleeting moment, deciding to ignore the surging anger coming onto her and focus more on the silent worry that is directed at her husband.

"You two need to learn how to respect each other." She scolded them both, entering the royal queen mode that Arula has taught her over the years. "A small bickering and unpolite words are fine, but taking things to the physical realm is too much."

Caulifla glanced at Kale, surprised to see her friend glaring at her. Still, she relented in her form; taking her eyes down to show how she was sorry.

Asparus, on the other hand, is completely silent, more than that, he has not moved since his head tilted to the side after that hit.

"Asparus… Sis didn't… Caulifla didn't mean to do that." Kale's worry is only growing the more he remains in silence. To her, it is like he is struggling so hard to keep himself in place, that his conscious has slipped to the inner conflict that could be happening inside of him.

"I…" Caulifla looked to the side, one hand going to the back of her head as she awkwardly scratches her hair. "My bad. That was a bit too far."

From his stiff form on the bench, Asparus jolted upwards in a flash. His right hand flew down to the handle of his sword faster than Caulifla and Kale could follow with their eyes.

Reacting in self-defense instincts, Caulifla raised both fists, preparing herself to engage the young king at any moment in close combat.

His momentum, however, continued far past Caulifla's spot in the balcony. Asparus continued to step forward, his legs carrying him further and further away from them both. It was only when he reached the other side of the open floor, that his legs stopped marching, letting his right arm swing in one full motion.

He slashed at the wind, with all his might. One ethereal flash of silver slashed a living scar in the air, this magical wound opening itself up, enlarging more and more until it was big enough to swallow Asparus whole.

And as fast as he made that magical scar in the air, he disappeared inside of it. Leaving not a trace of that thing or himself behind the now silent balcony.

Caulifla is dazed and confused most of all, looking at the empty spot in front of her. In a moment, she was ready to fight with Asparus because of a mistake she made, and the other she was staring at nothing. Looking behind her, she saw an equally confused Kale. The young queen, holding Cora in her hands, her eyes widen as they can be.

Without explanation or a word of warning, Asparus vanished from Sadala in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Pouring every bit of his power inside that little orb, Lettu continued his silent prayer with closed eyes. Where before the deepest of desperation was trying to overwhelm him completely, now the serenity of hopefulness brought him back to a calmer state.

Still, pray as much as he did, trusting as much as he did. More than five minutes have passed and his prayers have not been answered. At the end of his limit, the amount of energy flowing from his hand is now no more than a faint little flicker of transparent ki.

His body crying out in pain, a pain derived from utter exhaustion. He cannot give in, he can't stop pushing his ki forward; should he pull his hand back, should he stop giving that little orb everything he has left…

He shudders at the thought. Or maybe it is just his body reacting to the thunderous claps echoing at the ground just ahead of him.

Snapping his eyes wide open, the teen Saiyan soldier directed his attention to the shuffling noise dragging itself at his left side. At this point, he expected the worse. He brought his black eyes up waiting to find an army of those giant black things standing in front of him. And as much as his assumption was not entirely wrong, with two of those tank-mechanoids steps away from them, the closest figure to him is the one of Janola.

Even with his tall stature, Janola can't even reach the waist point of one of them. Watching it from the sidelines is akin to see a child standing up to face a full-grown adult. It felt hopeless just from a glance even against one of them, let alone two of those black robots at the same time.

Jerking himself away from his kneeled position, Lettu let go of his hold on the small orb, of the flicker of hope he had hung onto until now. Letting his body move on its own, he tried to jump at Janola's side, he tried to reach him, to stand beside him and help against them. But as he took his first step forward, the man in front of him was already flying away after getting struck by one sole sweeping strike.

Lettu felt his legs give in just like the certainty that had carried him forward dissipated into nothing but fear. He flinched in pain as his kneecaps clashed on the ground, carrying the weight of his small body.

One massive shadow hovered above the soldier boy, malicious darkness covering his form, standing above him like the honed-blade of the reaper's scythe.

"Gh…" From behind him, a panicking Cabba is dragging himself over the ground. Using his elbows to pull his way forward, he is desperately rushing towards his little brother; his dark eyes shivering in fear. "Run…" Cabba tried to warn his brother, to give him an order. But the words barely scrapped by his lips, his breath pressing against the dust grinding on his face.

The echoing stomps ceased to be, at least the closest one. It did not need to continue, as the black giant has reached its target, standing inches away from the small Saiyan. Yet, this one robot, different from the white faceless ones, is staring down at Lettu in an almost taunting manner.

Measuring its prey with eyeless gaze, the mechanical beast raised its arm ever so slowly, savoring at the fear dripping out from the boy's eyes.

Powerless in his spot, struggling to even raise his head. Cabba felt his insides twist and boils with a disgusting feeling; a sensation of revolt that threatened to rush out from his throat at any moment. His quivering eyes watched the cruel swing of an arm, one carrying the weight of a giant monster.

"LETTU!" Cabba watched as his world turned black and silver.

* * *

It felt like a torrent, a crushing pressure snatching the air out of Cabba's lungs, making his head hurt, and his vision blur. It was like the world had started to crumble upon the weight of this vortex.

This force is violent, is powerful, is… beautiful.

Where once stood a giant onyx-colored robot, now floats black dust and metal particles. The wannabe Lettu's killer is now a twisted mess made of dust and metallic bits. A bizarre spectacle, as the mechanoid monster 'died' before the blow that would strike him made itself alive in the world.

A flashing slash exploded from thin air, washing the dust away, cleaving into a twain the robot menace or what was left of him. Silvered blade made of light appeared above Lettu's head, this blade arching above him, releasing a star-like glow in its wake.

One low thud sounded from beside the teen Saiyan. Soft regal boots dirtying themselves on the dust of this purple planet.

"By the gods…" Cabba fell on his face, his chest pressing against the ground as he breathed with difficulty. "Why the fuck are you so late?!" He roared his voice past the dust, his heated gaze raising to the newcomer, then softening up after reaching the other man's eyes. "I almost lost hope."

"Sorry… I came in the exact moment I felt it." Asparus lowered his gaze to the dumbstruck Lettu at his side. The young sovereign's features mellowing down after seeing his pupil in such a beat-up state.

With sword in hand, Asparus shifted his gaze to the incoming small army of robots rushing towards him. Sensing the low ki of the other Saiyans, feeling on his skin the pain that they have been gone through, it made his blood boil.

His hair flickered with the color of gold, shooting cracks of energy as his ki exploded around him.

"Asparus." Cabba called out to his friend. Using what strength he had left in his arms, the young Saiyan hero pushed himself up, just enough to be sitting instead of kissing the ground. "You have to destroy their ship." Cabba pointed upwards to the sky. "It uses something to drain our energy. It was how they beat us to this state."

Changing the gripping hand on his sword, Asparus calmly stepped over to Cabba, letting his right hand rest on his friend's forehead.

Feeling the soothing sensation coursing through his body, Cabba noticed his energy coming back to him. While he is grateful to be able to breathe without bursting a vein in a struggling effort, he felt an annoying confusion rise in his thoughts.

"What are you doing?" He spat the question angrily. "I just warned you about their secret, how they drain our ki. Why are you wasting it?"

"I rather share it with you than with them." Asparus replied with a sheepish grin.

Having more than enough strength back to stand on his own, Cabba slapped the hand away from his forehead, a small grin showing on his lips. "I hate to say it… but thank the gods I took that orb from your hands earlier."

Dusting his battered uniform, the young hero raised to his feet. Promptly taking his place beside his longtime friend.

"How much fight you have left in you?" Asparus asked him, the king's attention snapping back to the enemies ahead.

"I got enough ki to stand up and move my body. But even if I took every bit of energy you have, it is not the same thing as resting." Cabba replied with a concentrated frown. "I can handle a few of them, but I can't blow up the ship. That's up to you."

"Then don't bother. Focus on gathering everyone in a safe spot, I will handle the rest." Spinning his weapon masterfully in his grasp, Asparus dashed forward towards the marching robots.

"DON'T- GODDAMMIT!" Cabba cursed as his friend charged alone into the fray. If someone is at fault for their Saiyan blood, that one is Asparus; despite the serious front he likes to put, the young king craves for battle more than anyone else, and his recklessness spikes to its peak when his wife is not on sight to reign over him. "Lettu, we have to check on everyone else."

Lettu distant gaze still wanders the space ahead of him, an unfocused glint shines over his wide eyes.

"Lettu!" Cabba snarled at him, startling his younger brother back to reality. "Come on, we have a job to do."

Weakly nodding in response, Lettu slowly gathered himself up from the ground. He turned to follow his brother to where the rest of his companions are, but his gaze lingered behind for one last moment. He watched as Asparus jumped onto the first enemy that got in his reach, cleaving the smaller white faceless without a moment of mercy to spare.

'Thank you… master.'

* * *

**Enfin Apparu - Magi The Labyrinth of Magic - watch?v=uu94eOQqYP4**

* * *

After so many years of training in the ways of his swordsmanship, Asparus uses his weapon as an extension of his own body. In truth, it would feel extremely weird to fight without having that blade in his hands.

His synergy with the sword is vividly clear by the majestic mastery that he displays. Landing with the right foot on the cracked floor, his right arm swings in a perfect arch, sweeping the enemy in front of him before his left foot can touch the ground.

Ducking beneath a heavy black arm, he slides in between the taller robot and the two smaller ones at his sides. Letting the handle of his sword glides freely against his arm, he spins rapidly in place, switching stances and grabbing the sword with his left hand. Pulling his arm forward, he slashes upwards from the dark mechanoid's underbelly, breaking the robot in two miss-matched shapes.

Finishing his last strike with a full spin, he creates a rapid hurricane where he stands. The sparkling edge of his sword beheading both smaller robots in one quick motion.

Before Asparus could land his raised foot on the ground, getting a proper footing on his stance, a massive dark spear crashed onto him. Raising the side of his weapon to meet the attack, the young king felt himself get pushed across the plain, his sliding feet leaving two long lines along the way.

Raising his gaze to the obsidian colored weapon pressing on to him, he saw the ever-extending arm of one of the larger robots. The attacker stood firmly frozen in place, but his arm kept extending and pushing, seemingly having no end to where it can go.

Pushing his left hand forward and pressing his right hand at the other side of his blade, Asparus arched the weapon in a way that bounced him to the side of that spear. Grinding his boots against the harsh ground, he continued to slide in momentum to the left, stopping only when he pushed an arm behind and released a low current of ki.

Kicking the dirt beneath him, Asparus leaped into the air and then vanished.

A streak of silver light flashed past the entire army of robots, letting out a boom of silver as it passed the last one of them.

Reappearing right behind the unsuspecting black tank-robot, Asparus sliced the metallic beast's head in one swing of his sword. His eyes instantly snapped to the next target and just like that he vanished into that streak of silver light.

One, two, three… by the time he finally landed his feet on the ground again, every single one of the white faceless robots had been cleaved or exploded into bits.

His blood is rushing like never before. Getting fully concentrated in battle, Asparus has lost sight of his surroundings, save for his enemies. In the thick of battle, feeling that unstoppable clock ticking against him, this subtle pressure pushing him to go faster and stronger at them.

The young Saiyan king can't hide his smirk.

Already scratching himself to get back in action, Asparus took a single step forward. But the distance between him and his targets didn't decrease. Frowning in slight annoyance he took two more steps forward, and then he noticed.

The remaining robots took two steps backward.

He snorted at the realization. Those faceless and soulless machines are afraid, they are scared. The concept of robots showing that kind of emotion is new to him, even more, the battle made mechanoids with little programming apart from kill and destroy.

A faint flickering of golden got his attention just as he was about to warp onto one of them. His Super Saiyan aura is dying away, losing its luster and bright. It was like watching his ki floating away from him at a slow but steady pace.

More than anything he feels annoyed. Annoyed that they are trying to rob him of this small delight, trying to push him away from his fight. But the most alarming thing is that he doesn't care.

He finds himself not caring about this. Let them suck as much energy as they want from him, it will only make this one-sided battle harder, more enjoyable.

Diving full head into a battle lust, Asparus swung his sword from one side to the other, taunting the robots to attack him again. With neither of them even flinching in his direction, he lost his patience and vanished towards them.

His weapon flew from above, cutting the air, the metal and the ground without discrimination. This ki filled slash streamed forward and forward, crashing into one of the weirdly shaped houses far in the distance.

That traction of cutting anything in his path is intoxicating, alluring in the most dangerous of ways. Asparus can feel himself changing in a form that he never felt before, but he cannot resist. This sensation feels so overwhelming, so good.

As moments ago, he felt the prickling sensation of his ki getting pulled away from him. This sensation staring to grinds on his nerves. But this instance he had little time to think about, as in a changing gear from before, three of the heavy mechanoids jumped onto him at the same time.

The first attacker, he simply evaded to the side, letting the giant fist collide into the broken earth. Grinning from the corner of his lips, he watched as the second descend with both arms upon him, aiming to sink him onto the ground. It was then that a dark thought crossed his mind, one that he readily welcomed.

Stabbing the first attacker from the back with the tip of his sword, Asparus vanished, taking the mechanoid with him. Reappearing above the one that tried to squish him onto the ground, he pressed the robot stuck in his weapon against its metallic companion; and releasing an absurd wave of ki, the Saiyan king squashed them both under the destructive weight of that attack.

Seeing how easily he dispatched the other two, the third one stumbled two steps from where he stood. Once again showing that rare sense of fear that it should not have.

Looking down at his next target, Asparus smiled in satisfaction. Even if it tried to run away now, it would only end up with a giant slash on its back.

Letting his arm move on its own, Asparus felt his weapon descending upon its next victim with reckless abandon.

But before he could destroy this one, his entire body jerked forward, his face clashing harshly onto the dusty earth. He felt the burning feeling on his back, one that only a beam of energy could leave.

It was the pain that bothered him more?

Possibly no, since he doesn't feel a tingle of pain. Instead of the normal reaction from a recently wounded body, he only feels anger, rage, and uncontrollable hatred.

"DO NOT INTERFERE!" He roared like a ravenous animal, his aura exploding into full power once more, but no gold was found in its light. Instead, a furious glow made of silver has enveloped him in its grasp, changing his voice into an echoing godly tune, making his eyes glow with the same silvered light that flows through him.

With a mighty swing of his right arm, Asparus unleashed a massive slash made of silver energy. This piercing wave flew instantly towards the sky, not even crashing just instantly passing through the shell of that gargantuan spacecraft.

The vessel trembled as half of its left side blow into a thunderous explosion. Bits of the craft and even a few personal flying into the atmosphere.

Asparus' burning rage, however, had not died down after that one single strike against the flying vessel. His crazed silver eyes turning to the frozen army standing before him, and his body flickered forward towards them.

What happened next, cannot be called a battle. It was akin to a ruthless massacre.

Moving across the battlefield like a streak of silver, Asparus was not stopping a single instant in his charge. Not a mere moment, indeed.

From within that warped silver light that carried him through space, he began to cut and slash his enemies without reappearing into the world. It was just a flash of silver followed by the echoing sound of his blade destroying anything that crossed its path.

When he finally got shot out from his silver blur; Asparus stood alone amid pieces and wreckage. The enemy force that was left on the ground got wiped away in the snap of fingers. And only after his last enemy crashed onto the earth, that he left the building steam flow from within his mouth in the form of a steamy exhale.

Holding his head low, Asparus felt the increasing change affecting him. His left hand could not stop shaking, his eyes are foggy and yet clearer than they have ever been. And the sharpness of his senses is in another entire level. He hears and feels the turning and creaking of the spaceship above him. Without sparing a glance at the vessel hovering the sky, he can see how it is turning and aiming everything they got at him.

This warning, this challenge, made him smile.

Do they want to shoot at him?

Let them come, let them unload every type of weapon they can on him. He dares them, defies these inferior mongrels to challenge him again.

His back arched up as he felt the first wave exploding down towards him. Shooting his eyes towards the incoming rain of energy beams, Asparus raises his sword at the level of his nose, preparing for the right moment.

As the first blast exploded on the planet, he responded with an attack of his own. Slashing in a cross-shaped way, he blasted an ethereal slash even bigger than before. He could only snort in disappointment as his X shaped attack erased any other beam that it comes across.

This time, the nose of the spaceship exploded after being cut from his attack. More pieces and more people falling from the sky. However, the barrage raining down continued as relentless as before. encouraging the Saiyan king to raise his next reply to an even greater level.

Oh, and he will gladly respond in a way that they will never forget.

In his highest moment of euphory, Asparus saw a sole yellow beam of light fights against the current flowing down upon them. It made him drift his attention to the source of that folly and yet brave attempt.

Right at his moment, his consciousness got ripped away from the trance it has been stuck for a while now. He saw a tired Cabba, desperately pushing away the countless waves raining down upon him, upon the unconscious Saiyans at his side.

As much as Asparus wanted to punch himself, or do something even harsher, for forgetting about them altogether. He needs to protect them, by any cost.

The exhaustion at Cabba's visage showing that at any moment he can fall, leaving everyone there unguarded. Gritting his teeth in his effort to hold his last bit of ki in that flying wave, Cabba pushes his arms up, holding to his shaky legs as much as he can.

As his right arm flail to the side, completely numb and unable to move again, he saw the flickering silver appear in front of him; the form of his friend appearing before his eyes.

"Omega Blade, Second Phase: Turmoil!" Asparus brought his sword back to its sheath for a split second, then he pushed it forward, revealing its shining blade in a flashing cut.

From the legendary weapon, countless tiny sparkles flew upwards; each of them smaller than a grain of sand but brighter than a star. This stream of glowing droplets raised to the sky, intercepting every flying beam coming from the spacecraft, some explosions reaching so high that they damaged a big part of the ship's cannons.

"What… what's wrong with you?" Cabba pointed at Asparus as he asked. Startled by the dazzling silver glow surrounding his friend, a sight that he has never seen before.

Asparus didn't respond. That nagging feeling still present at the back of his mind, that echoing warning that something is coming towards him. This sense guiding his gaze to the giant gem starting to glow with a furious light at its center.

"This one will be big… way bigger." He commented grimly, feeling the fatigue finally catching up to him.

"So, they stored all that energy just to blow us up with it? Poetic." Cabba fell on his backside, his gaze still resting on the ever-increasing glow of that gem's light. "Think you can outgun that one?" He threw a sideways glance at Asparus, directing his question at him.

"If I can blast it back to them? Maybe." He replied shortly. "If I can protect everyone while doing it? No."

Growling a little upset, Cabba shuffled one hand on the back of his hair. "That's why I warned you to destroy that ship first."

"I know… I'm sorry. Things got a little out of my control for a while." He replied honestly while keeping to himself the entire truth of what transpired with him.

"What now?" Lettu raised his voice, bringing their attention towards him. "I can help you… if you need it." He said with an admirable resolution, but his legs gave on him the moment he tried to stand up.

"It's okay, Lettu." Asparus turned to his pupil, giving him a sincere smile. "You have grown a lot. As one of your teachers, I am proud of you." Ruffling with the boy's spiky hair, Asparus leaned over to him and placed his sheathed weapon on Lettu's hands.

"…" Overwhelmed a little by the sudden declaration and how warm his teacher's words felt, Lettu only watched as Asparus turned away, barely noticing the weight on his hands.

"Sorry, Cabba." Asparus glanced at his friend and offered him a cheeky little smile. "I will need someone to drag my body after this."

One loud sigh of exasperation fled from Cabba's lips. Pushing his back against the ground, he just stared at the thing that almost looks like the sun, glaring down at them. "As if I would go back like that." Despite the dry tone of his voice, the young hero smiles back to his friend.

Seeing Asparus stepping forward and Cabba sudden resignation, the entire puzzle snapped together inside Lettu's head. "Wait!" He clenched his hold on the weapon and tried to get himself up again. He desperately tried to reach for his brother, raising his right hand towards Asparus, utter anguish washing over him. "STOOO-"

Just like Asparus had appeared on this planet out of nowhere, Lettu and the entire group of Saiyans laying behind him disappeared in a flash of light.

"He will never let that go. You know it, right?" Cabba looked at his friend and gave him a devious little grin.

To which Asparus just shook his head in silence. He knows full well the hell he will have to pay when he meets up with Lettu again. However, he will gladly accept that over letting his cute pupil get hurt over a mistake… his mistake

The silver aura that had engulfed Asparus disappeared together with the Omega Blade, and without that dazzling light surrounding him, he is back to the base form, not even a flicker of a Super Saiyan aura.

Closing his eyes, Asparus brought both hands in front of his chest. He held them in a linked way, each palm of his hands pressing against the other.

He feels it now, the scorching blaze of the energy forming above them. He feels how close it is to just drop on them like an apocalyptic bomb. That's why he needs to concentrate every bit of him in this one form, in this one attack.

From extinct to erupting violently, his silver ki came back to life stronger than before and more unstable too. It fights to let go, battles against Asparus for domination; him trying to control the ki and in return the ki trying to control him. He needs to hold his ground for just one more second, just enough time for him to aim this raging power towards something that is not him.

As the ruined ship creaks with a mechanical screech, the giant gem on its belly fires something that can only be called a pillar of light, pouring down like a piece of the sun towards the planet.

**"ARGENTO AURA!"** Snapping his eyes open, Asparus shoots his arms up, releasing his power towards that massive thing.

If someone could paint this exact moment, transfer all of it into a canvas full of colors. They would portrait a battle of duality. The golden might of the sun, pouring down into the planet like a ruthless tyrant taking anything it wants; and the silver glow of the moon, rising to meet its master, defying destiny itself.

Describing this deciding moment in one word, that word could only be: Strife.

* * *

Nothing brings more chaos to the royal palace of Sadala then an urgent broadcast informing about the king's sudden disappearance. Every Saiyan, a soldier or not, has to abandon their post and work immediately; directing all the efforts to this crisis.

Funny how this 'disaster' has barely occurred in the span of two hundred years but has happened more than twice since the new king has ascended to the throne. However, the increasing number of times that the young King Sadala has vanished from the planet does not take away the seriousness of the situation. In a govern created and mold in military aristocracy, their race cannot function properly without its supreme governor, hence the instituted panic coursing through the planet.

Trying to sort out this mess and guide her subjects in a smother operating form, Kale is standing beside her husband's throne. By her side is an oddly silent Caulifla and both of Asparus parents. Arula helping Kale keep her own nerves in check while reassuring the correct way of her actions and Vegeta, former King Sadala, is barking orders to the wandering soldiers who answered the call of the crown.

"He didn't mention anything?" Arula asked Kale, softly rubbing the left arm of her daughter-in-law.

"Nothing… He simply used his sword and vanished." Kale replied, her voice low and tired.

"That idiotic son of mine." The former queen spat angrily, cursing the stubbornness of her only child. "He always had some temper in him, now that is sitting on the throne his recklessness is so much worse."

"Perhaps someone shouldn't have pampered the boy so much while growing up." Vegeta said in a snarky comment, his trailing gaze still as serious as ever.

"Perhaps someone should have used more of his time disciplining his own child instead of cruising around the universe." Arula spat back, giving her husband a fiery glare.

Seeing her new parents arguing in such a heated away always felt strangely comforting to Kale. After growing up with just one parent, witnessing even heated trade of words shows how close a couple can be. Giving her some sort of role-model to her relationship, given that she doesn't like to argue with Asparus as much as Arula likes to argue with her husband.

"You have no need to worry, girl." Vegeta now directed his words to Kale, the young queen raising her shy gaze to look at him in the eyes. "We raised an unruly rascal but not an ignorant fool. The boy will be back before you truly start to miss him."

Kale smiled gently to her father-in-law, the man who is always stern and even a bit cold, always go out of his way to show how much he cares about her, even if he has to do it in a roundabout way to keep his rigid reputation intact.

Before the young queen could reply in words to Vegeta, the entire room shifted with a strange pressure. Gasps and surprised yelps echoed around as a loud thump collides on the large floor below the throne's steps.

Vegeta and Arula, the two closest to the raising steps, lost their words as their eyes landed on the commotion. Their weird reaction prompting Kale and Caulifla to walk over to them and gaze down the horde of whispering words coming from below.

Right in between the spare odd soldier standing on the floor level, an entire squad of unconscious Saiyans appeared. They are pilled on top of each other, some even half-buried bellow their comrades. Just one of these bruised soldiers looks to be conscious, a small soldier, a teenager, sitting on his legs holding tight to a long object in his hands.

"Lettu!" Caulifla's worried cry jolted him out of his daze, making Lettu turn his attention to the women rushing down the steps towards him.

"Caulif-" The name died at the tip of his tongue before he could spell it out completely, a sob whisking the letters away from him before he could say it. Lettu raised his right arm, extending it to Caulifla as she crashed onto him, enveloping him in a tight hug. "Sis… Cabba and Asparus… I…" He bit his lower lip with enough strength to draw a line of blood on his skin. "Sorry… I was so weak, I couldn't…"

For the first time since the young Saiyan has walked inside these halls with his uniform on, the people of Sadala saw him vulnerable and broken. In what most deemed to be impossible, the boy warrior gave in to his exhaustion, physical and mental, he couldn't hold in any longer. So he started to weep, grasping the fabric of Caulifla's shirt, he began to cry as hard as he could. His sobbing voice echoing on the silence around him.

Caulifla pulled her little brother even closer against her. It breaks her heart seeing him like this, the boy that is so uptied that even smiling feels like a sin. Now he is unraveling in tears, pressing his wet face against her chest.

"Kale… you still have them, right?" Caulifla glanced back to her friend standing at her side.

On the verge of tears herself, Kale barely takes her eyes away from Lettu as she addressed Caulifla's question. "The earrings? Y-Yes…" She replied with a certain uncertainty.

"Go get them." Caulifla asked quietly, her tone mimicking Lettu's low sobs.

"But… Caulifla."

"GO GET THEM ALREADY!" Caulifla barked her words like an absolute order, her eyes losing that gentle glow to them, instead, burning with something far less friendly.

Kale still hesitated for a moment, her left hand going down to her belly, rubbing it in a worried but kind movement. But that blazing gaze on her friend's eyes got to her, that look of determination and worry. Turning on her heels, the young queen rushed towards the private quarters, going as fast as she could to her room.

Turning her gaze back to Lettu crying in her arms, Caulifla's eyes mellowed again. She leaned over and kissed him on the top of his head. "We will bring them back Lettu. No matter what or who stands in our way… We will bring them back."

* * *

**\- Chapter End -**

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

VcArchangel chapter 11 . Apr 22 – Yeah, and it is good to be back.

Like I said before, I didn't want to write this story just for the sake of putting in letters, creating a weak plot and ultimately an uninteresting and boring story. As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to everyone's reaction to the crazy things I have planned out going forward.


	13. Chapter 13 - One Heart for Two Souls

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

* * *

**\- Chapter 13 -**

* * *

Startled by the sound of his own breathing, Coorin stirred up from his slumber. His heavy eyes slowly carry themselves over the line of the blanket covering his body. Soft silk, pleasant at the touch or it would be if his head was not pounding so heavily for any noise floating in the room, even the tiny noise of his body shuffling beneath this cozy piece of cloth was enough to make him wince.

Taking one hand to his left temple. He squints his eyes in pain as he pulls himself into a sitting position.

Coorin has no idea of when or how he got in this room. His last memory is the one of waiting in a blank white room, void of any furniture or distinct property save for that maddening color. Now, he is laying on a large royal looking bed in the middle of the richest and regal room he has ever laid eyes on.

Even under the hellish headache consuming his thoughts, Coorin finds himself fascinated by this place. Born in a noble house, he has a taste for luxury and culture, even if his current lifestyle deprives him of these little treats.

However, his small inspection of the room had to wait. Before he could gather enough energy to push himself out of the bed, the double doors at the other side of the room were pushed open, a single person methodically marching his way inside.

"Oh, you're awake… good." A soft voice called out to Coorin, even this low soothing tone caused him to wince under his headache. "I brought you something to eat. Please, I ask that you pardon the lack of a more… tasteful meal. Given the circumstances, this was the best I could gather."

Coorin brought his gaze up in a piercing glare, one that only grew fiercer after he could identify this person as that creepy red-haired man that was keeping in that white room.

With that charmer smile on his lips, Ichigo made his way ever so slowly towards the bed. In his hands, he carries a rather large ornate silver tray, full of fruits and fresh pieces of bread with a crystal jar half-full with a light-colored juice inside.

"I reckon you must be famished." Ichigo stated in a matter of fact. He stopped by the edge of the bed, unsure if he should lay the dray down on the firm side of the mattress or if he should take a seat instead.

A sarcastic snort was the first response he got from the petite Saiyan. Coorin eyed him with suspicious eyes, sliding this untrusting gaze down to the food presented to him.

"Go on, you can eat. it is not poisoned." Ichigo reassured him with a smile.

"Yeah, because your word is enough for me to trust this over-colored trash you brought." Coorin spat, transforming his feminine facial features into a scornful frown.

Ichigo stood quiet for a moment, just studying the Saiyan's face. Then, he playfully shook his head and chuckled. "Please, if I wanted you dead… poison would be the last option I would take." Deciding to just place the tray on the spot he eyed before, the young red-haired Tuffle turned his back to Coorin, holding both hands on his back.

Coorin softened his frown. Facing that man's back instead of his watchful gaze puts him more at ease, relaxing enough that he finally noticed the empty feeling on his stomach, the echoes of hungry noises.

Trying to decide to fallow either his cautious instincts or his grumbling belly, he slowly raised one arm, taking the smallest piece of bread he could find.

With his back still turned to his 'guest', Ichigo grinned after hearing the shy noises of Coorin nibbling at a piece of bread. "If I wanted to kill you, I would not go over the trouble of placing you in this room, preparing adequate food and clothes." Just as he finished his sentence, Ichigo slowly turned back, glancing down at the other man, eating his food with a visible reserve.

After hearing the bit about clothes, Coorin finally noticed the strange sensation he was feeling all over his body; his eyes widened up like two round orbs.

Under the thin layer of this warm blanket, he is completely naked. From head to toe, his pale skin is bare and would be completely visible if not for the dark blue silky veil around him.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" He shouted in his outrage. Forgetting about his delicious piece of bread, he latched his hands on his protective blanket, holding it to the height of his neck.

"Nothing disgraceful, if that is your concern." Ichigo replied softly, a corny smirk on his lips.

"You knocked me out, stripped all my clothes… How the hell is that not fucking disgraceful?" Coorin boomed again.

Ichigo eyed him with an interested gaze, finding himself surprise yet again by this small Saiyan. "For someone so small, you sure know how to yell." He chuckled at his own words, but his guest didn't share his amused reaction. "I didn't 'knock you out'. You lost consciousness with exhaustion." Ichigo saw the look of disbelief in Coorin's eyes, clearly not buying his story. "Look, this facility has a very special inhibitor built on every floor. This little piece of technology, inhibit the ability to draw ki, to mold and gather this energy in your body. As a Saiyan, you unconsciously channel your ki, letting it flow through you at each action. Even in the act of breathing, you are molding your ki."

A deadpan look crossed Coorin's features. If he was not at the edge right now, he would roll his eyes and plant his face in the pillow; as he does whenever Janola tries to give him any of his boring lessons. "And how this stupid anatomy lesson explains the shit you did to me?" He spat his question with an annoyed hiss.

Ichigo sighed. This interaction feels like the countless times he tried to reason with his younger brother, a hopeless endeavor every time. "From the moment you stepped inside this place, your body stopped 'producing' more ki. Yet, you continued using it at each step, with each breath. With enough time passing… I hope you can understand it."

"I didn't have any more left…" Coorin replied with a low voice, still unsure if he had it right.

"Exactly." Ichigo praised him with a soft clap, a borderline sarcastic reply. "Before you can wreck that pretty head of yours in confusion. Yes, the inhibitors are still present and working and yes, you're conscious despite it. Like any living organism, your body is adapting; learning how to function without a rush of ki for everything."

"And my clothing also ceased to function because of this inhibitor crap?" Coorin spat a wave of sarcastic words of his own. He even smirked a little, proud of his small comeback.

Ichigo sighed again, but he quickly changed his annoyed look to a cocky grin. "I took out your clothes. They were drenched with sweat, disgusting to say the least. And before you freak out again, I didn't do anything other than take those rags away."

Coorin squinted his eyes at him. Studying Ichigo's eyes very carefully to see if he was lying or not. After deciding that he would trust him, at least in this, Coorin let go of his defensive stance and the strong grasp over the blanket pressed close to his neck. "I won't thank you. It was your fault." He said in his usual rude manner, taking his attention back to the ever so alluring scent of food.

"And I don't need your gratitude. All of this, I did on a selfish whim." The red-haired Tuffle crossed his arms against his chest. Seeing the Saiyan properly attacking the food that was brought to him, made Ichigo smile quietly.

"Hm… Myeah." With his mouth stuffed with food, Coorin brought his gaze back to Ichigo. "Where is that piece of shit that I know as a father?" He continued taking more and more food to his mouth without glancing down to the tray.

That satisfied smile swiftly vanished away from Ichigo's lips. Taking a moment to breathe, Ichigo slowly leaned into the mattress, taking a seat at the empty spot at Coorin's right side. "Lord Soriel made his plea in his meeting. He was awarded a position within our organization, but I don't know the details since I was not allowed in the room."

The munching noise stopped. Coorin stared at Ichigo, disgusted beyond belief. "That rat has truly betrayed us?" He scoffed angrily, returning his attention to his food, fighting to keep that sickening taste from spoiling his meal. "I thought you hated our guts? Why the hell ally yourselves with a Saiyan and a scummy one at that?"

"That decision is on my father's shoulders. He is the one responsible for the leadership and all the decisions that come with it." Despite the cold and serious start of his explosion, Ichigo slowly mellowed into a joyful look. "However, I am truly excited to finally work with someone of my own kin, at least half kin."

With mouth agape and shocked out of his eating procedure, Coorin stared at Ichigo for a few long moments. "Kin?!" He asked, unsure if he heard right. "Are you saying that-"

"I am half Saiyan." Ichigo replied promptly. "I have Saiyan blood in my veins, and I always felt the judging glares of my peers for it. Cursed with an ape's soul they said." He clenches his fists as he mentions this part, his eyes glowing with a faint fire that has never died out. "But you already know someone like this, right?" He turned to Coorin, softening his harsh glare as his eyes landed on the small Saiyan.

"How do you know that?" Denying that claim didn't even pass by Corrin's mind. Seeing how much this person seems to know about him, about his people in general, he felt that lying would only be a waste of time.

"Janola." The name sounds softly past Ichigo's lips, making Coorin shiver at the sound of it. "The person you hold dear. The Saiyan that forced us in this situation. The man that I love the most in this life…" He stopped mid-sentence, letting the small suspense push Coorin a bit further over the edge, making him lean closer to get the rest of it. "He is my twin brother."

Coorin's world came crashing down into a dusting pile of uncertainties. He always felt like he knew everything about his partner, the tiniest details from Janola's life. Now he is staring at someone claiming to be his twin brother.

He tried to open his mouth and call it bull. Reaching out for any word that would prove this man as the farse that he is, throw at his face that his lies would never work on him.

Yet, looking at his face, Coorin cannot say anything.

Having this idea planted in his head, having this forced comparison pushed in his mind; Coorin almost wants to punch himself for not noticing it earlier, for not noticing it when this man appeared before them in Sadala.

Ichigo is tall, as tall as Janola, but he is way leaner compared to the latter's muscled body. His hair is fiery red, unicolor compared to Janola's wild duo-colored spikes, but the red is the same. Even those god damn yellow eyes are the same, the same eyes that Janola had when he was younger and suffering from mental trauma.

Looking at this person is like staring at the man Janola would become if he has never worked past his twisted childhood. And this feeling is twisting Coorin's chest into an insufferable turmoil.

"Ringo is his real name." Ichigo continued, seeing that the revelation forced his guest into sudden silence. "We were inseparable growing up. In the first years of my life, I had no one… not a soul, other than my brother. People always treated us like shit, worst than the insects crawling under the sewer." Ichigo's voice cracked into a tone that was new to Coorin. This man that is nothing but a charmer in every aspect, let his image shift into the image of a broken person, someone marked with suffering.

In this relapsing moment, Coorin saw a mirror of a little Janola sitting in front of him. A bloodied and beaten Janola, crying for not having a shred of love in his life. This image crushed Coorin's heart, the same way it does when he remembers the way his lover looked on that day when they were young.

"One day… the entire planet fell under a heavy siege. Saiyans coming from everywhere… killing and destroying everything." Ichigo's voice grew cold, but not cold out of hatred, but one of indifference. "During this chaos, a woman came to us. A face that I've never seen before, but one that brought such conflicting feelings to my chest…" Taking on hand up, he clenched his fingers on his shirt, pressing this hold to his heart. "My… our mother. She took him. She appeared and took Ringo away from me. My only solace, the only person that loved me… he was stolen away."

Raising one arm unconsciously, Coorin almost reached out towards him. He felt a storm crying inside of him, something pushing him towards that person, making him want to drag him into a firm hug. But before he could get closer to Ichigo, he stopped and looked down towards his legs. "W-Why… did she leave you behind?" He asked softly.

A loud scoff sounded out from the red-haired young man. "Maybe I looked too much like a Tuffle." He began to chuckle, but out of desperation. "Maybe she saw too much of the monsters that ruined her life in me."

"I am… sorry." Coorin looked at him again, his gaze full of sympathy.

Ichigo was caught off guard from that. He wasn't telling this to get any pity or sympathy out of this Saiyan. But seeing the honesty in those bubbling black eyes, he almost melted. "I… see now." He said softly. "The reason why Ringo… Janola trusts you, why he loves you."

The pale cheeks turned red with a slight blush, Coorin unsure of where to take his gaze to.

"We hated so much… Everything and everyone around us. We hated all of them." Ichigo said firmly. "But that was a reflection of how we were treated, people hated us just as much. Now I caught myself thinking how would it feels to receive attention from someone; not from hatred or scorn… but attention from concern, love."

"I-It didn't look like it…" In distinct contrast, Coorin is speaking with a low and soft voice. His words are not sharpened and prepared to hurt like every other occasion. "That woman from before, she looked like she admired you."

A frown crossed Ichigo's face. "Admiration? No. Respect out of fear? Yes." He shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable to change the conversation towards this direction. "This may sound silly to you, but my brother and I, we were in sync. Like one heart for two boys, we felt the same emotions that the other felt. If I may deceive myself for the moment, I think we still are the same today."

"How so?" Coorin raised an eyebrow. "Janola doesn't… hate anymore."

"I bet he doesn't." Ichigo replied with a playful chuckle. "I told you, I know why he loves you." Slowly, he adjusted his form on the mattress, sliding closer and closer to Coorin. "Your tongue is sharp and your words are hard."

While not expecting any kind of compliments out of his person, Coorin felt a bit annoyed at the description of himself, in truth he felt a small tingle of embarrassment washing over him, making his cheeks redder.

"This behavior makes you honest in the most brutal way. Not weighting your words to speak to others, that show people that they can trust you." Once again, he moved closer to Coorin, close enough that he had to move the tray to the ground to make space. "Your words… when you said that you felt for me, for us… I believed in you."

"That's good… Because I meant it." Pulling back slowly, Coorin tried to create a bit more space between them. At every inch that he moved back, the more the blanket got removed from him.

Those amber colored eyes are lost in wonder towards Coorin. Ichigo is looking at him with a static look on his face, frozen in contemplation. His curious gaze started at the Saiyan's feminine face, then trailed to the curves of his jaw, then down to his neck, shoulders, and them to his slim chest. He blinked a few times, closing his lips in a thin line as he traces the soft pale skin showing to him.

"You are…" Moving carefully and methodically, Ichigo tried his hardest to not scare Coorin away with the proximity as his hand moved up. "Beautiful." A warm sensation grazed the palm of his hand as he touched the side of the Saiyan's cheek. "Coorin… I…"

Locking gazes with him, Ichigo moved ever so slowly. His yellow eyes never leaving the entranced look of Coorin's black eyes. Taking the silence and lack of push back as consent, the bold half Tuffle, half Saiyan, leaned in even more. His lips touching softly onto Coorin's soft lips.

Before Coorin could understand what was happening, his eyes were already closed. His heart racing like a speeding vehicle, his lips melting in that soothing warmth. Something felt deeply wrong and disturbing to him as if he was putting a dagger against his own heart; and at the same time, his mind is numb under a heavy haze, guided through the loving touch of pleasure.

As a pair of firm hands pressed on his waist, grabbing at his side with a hungering touch, Coorin moaned softly. But right then, his eyes jolted open in shock. He saw himself kissing his lover's twin brother and his entire body jerked wildly in response.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" He roared again, his defiant and angry disposition returning to him.

His lips still tingling with the aftertouch of Coorin's soft lips, Ichigo stood up, looking down at the surprised young Saiyan. "I…" He glanced to one side to the other, lost for words. "I apologize for my actions. This was inappropriate."

"You don't say?" Coorin scoffed in response, his eyes furious in their glare. "This was not only inappropriate; it was weird as hell. You… know who I am, who I am with… Why would you kiss me?"

Seeing Coorin fuming at him, made Ichigo get back his composure. That charming smile of his coming back to his lips. "I guess, we still share one heart." He saw Coorin frown at him and he loved that heated gaze aimed at him. "As much as displeases me to admit it, some obligations need my attention. I'm afraid our small chat will have to end… for now."

A storm of bad words flew across Coorin's imagination. He wanted to hurl every bit of poison he could form into a sentence towards that cheeky little bastard. However, he could only bring the blanket up to his neck again, hiding behind it for safety.

He felt like a helpless boy, threatened not by the prospect of danger that this place brings but by that stupid beautiful smile that this man wields like a weapon.

"Please, take your time to enjoy the food and get some more rest." Ichigo bows politely to Coorin, arching perfectly in his form. "For the moment, I bid you adieu." Turning on his heel, the young scion of the forming new empire, began to step away. Opening just one of the doors, he stopped before walking out and glanced back at Coorin. "I don't want you imagining me hijacking your relationship with my brother." He said in a stern tone. "But maybe you can imagine both of us holding you right in this bed." Giving his pretty guest a suggestive wink, Ichigo stepped out and closed the door behind him.

"For fuck sake, what is wrong with him?" Coorin said angrily. Then he deflated with all the steam of a heated exchange flowing out from his body. He arched forward, resting his forehead against his legs. Bruising one finger on his lips, he shuddered and sighed. "What is wrong with me?"

* * *

Waiting patiently for the clearance to go through the system, Ichigo stands on the other side of the heavy security door to the command center. Tapping his fingers at the top of his other hand, he eyes the blinking lights at the top of the metallic frame, the blasted thing moving at a snail pace as always.

Disgruntled as he may get for this ridiculous proceeding every time, he has learned to make the best of this situation. Like many other times he waited in front of this door, he closes his mouth shut, enhancing his ears to the blurred voices coming from within.

"_What is the progress of the sixth fleet?" _He heard the unmistakable commanding voice of his father.

"_The fleet was assembled two days short of the previous estimation. Currently, the fleet is at stand-by in orbit of a settlement world." _The response is firm and precise, not a stutter in the speech. And as Ichigo has noted with time, only one person speaks so flawlessly in front of their leader.

He grunts in displeasure. The young scion hoped that this man was far away from this planet in whatever mission could take him, but much to his dismay, General Lynchee is present and at the helm of this base.

A ringing beep sounded from above, announcing the clearance check-up and the opening of the passage. Softening the scowl in his face, Ichigo wore a neutral expression right before he stepped inside the room.

Every set of eyes snapped towards him, the previous ongoing conversation dying down with his arrival. He hates this, always has. No matter how much time passes, people still treat him this way; respectful enough to not alright curse at his face but also distanced enough to show the boundaries forced between him and everyone.

"Proceed." Sudachi ordered with a firm tone, his gaze never leaving the man standing before him.

Lynchee brought his attention back to his master, not before frowning at least once towards Ichigo. "We got word from the third fleet. By the report, they are currently engaged in the siege over the Tatabi."

"Still?" A displeased hiss escaped the imposing red-haired Tuffle. "Are they suffering push back from the little ones?"

"That would be incorrect, master. Most of the planet has fallen under our control, the problem rests in a special area of the planet." Flipping through the stack of papers clipped at the bord in his arms, Lynchee stopped at the second to last one and began to read a line out of it. "One of the largest cruisers got destroyed after getting struck by a massive pillar of energy. According to the record, a few other smaller ships got destroyed by the fallout of the cruiser's explosion."

Putting one finger at his chin, Sudachi took the report in a contemplative stance. "Hm… so the syndicate was right about this destructive spell hidden with this civilization?"

"Ah… that is still unclear, sir. From the readings sent to us by the main vessel of the fleet, a massive influx of energy was responsible for the cruiser's demise." Lynchee stopped in his report, fearing the backlash that would certainly come after he finished it. "According to them… it was the ki of a god."

Sudachi's humor darkened instantly, his eyes glowing with a yellow blaze. "A god…" He snarled in a low manner, his frown turning into a raging scowl. "Did we disturb that useless ball of pink fat?"

Flipping back through a few more pages, Lynchee tapped his clipboard. "Champa has not moved from his homeworld, master. If the god of destruction had made any moves, our spies watching him would send a distress call. This… god. It was something else."

A pleased hum escaped the cold man, his expression softening ever so slightly. "Then, why is this still a problem?" Sudachi questioned with a serious glare. "Order them to kill this god and continue with the operation."

The green-haired Tuffle grew pale in his face, his blue eyes averting to the side in a small panic. "We… can't." He said under his breath, but his words still reached his master's ears. Before Sudachi could tread over to him, Lynchee raised his arms in the air and began explaining. "His energy, that silver ki, it is immune to our inhibitors." He saw the man stop in his tracks, making him sigh quietly in relief. "There were multiple powerful ki in the area, all disappeared after a few minutes under the exposure. But this godly energy, it was constant, never reaching the draining orb."

The entire room grew cold at that moment. It was visible the frustration and anger raising on their leader's chest, the staff around him trembling in their post under this trailing gaze.

"Another setback…" Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Sudachi closed his eyes and breathed his heated nerves away. "Send the fourth fleet to that planet. Have them assist Yagura in his endeavor and make sure that this… god, does not become a bigger problem in the future."

"Right at this moment, sir." Lynchee raised a hand to his forehead, paying his reverence before turning on his heels and marching to an operator at the back of the room.

"Would it be impropriated to re-suggest my plan at this moment?" Ichigo stepped over to the center of the command room, stopping beside his father who glared at his snark comment.

"Not now, Ichigo..." His father warned with a heated gaze, a look that would make any other fall to their knees and beg forgiveness; but not his rebellious son.

Raising his hands in a peace offering, Ichigo relented in his funny comments, knowing not to tread over his father's nerves in a moment like this. "Could I at least know the fate of our newest member?"

Sudachi grunted a reply to his son, clearly not in the mood to share anything at the moment as his head is brewing with plots and machinations at a furious pace.

However, the young scion's question went not without an answer. To his chagrin, a displeased looking Lynchee stepped back towards them after passing his words to his underling.

"The Saiyan has already left the planet." Began to explain the general. "As per his assignment, he is to oversee the construction and maintenance of our seventh fleet."

For various reasons and past events, Lynchee and Ichigo are always at each other throats. Despite the latter position as his master's son, the veteran general finds his presence unneeded and a mistake, something that he makes very clear to voice at any chance he gets.

"You will be satisfied to hear that the filthy ape haggled a second cruiser under his dirty bargain." Lynchee said in an accusing tone, squinting his eyes to show the undertone of his words.

An entertained chuckled escaped Ichigo lips, his eyes grinning to the insufferable man looking at him. "Oh… that will look bad at your resume, general." He said in a sarcastic tone, making Lynchee quiver his lips at the provocation. "Have the years of service taken a toll on your negotiating skills?"

Ichigo waited for the man to squirm and fume with anger, just like many times before when he pushed him with taunting words. To his surprise, the general held back his cursing words and just grinned at him.

"Oh no, my 'negotiating skills' are as sharp as ever." Rebutted the green-haired man. "The problem, you see, is that the loving father you brought here would not give away his son without having a second cruiser under his name."

In a reversal of roles, Ichigo is the one glaring now. Just as he tried to trap that man under his words, he fell into the same trick.

"In all my life as a soldier and as Tuffle, I've never seen a whore as expensive as this one." Intentionally coating his sentence in a gritting venom, Lynchee pushed even further. Seeing the young man trembling in silence made him smile in joy. "Have you enjoyed your prize yet, 'young master'?"

A loud step echoed in the room, Ichigo glared at the man with furious and murderous eyes. "Watch your tongue…" He warned between his gritted teeth.

Sudachi watched carefully the exchange, noting the burning hatred flowing from his son; a small smile of approval showing at the corner of his lips.

Seeing his master's expression at a glance, Lynchee misunderstood that smile; taking it as a gesture of endorsement for the mental harassment. "I got a glance at the Saiyan from one of the cameras, and I must admit... it is understandable your desire." He felt it, the overgrown boy losing the grip of his control. He felt the dangerous edge that it brought to him, but taking it as a victory, he decided to push just a little further. "I bet he will quite famous over the soldier's barracks. Like every ape-slave we captured before him."

Ichigo crossed the room in a flash. He flew towards Lynchee, grabbing the man by his neck and slamming him against the wall. Firming his grip on that slim neck with his right hand, he raised the general above his head, holding him in place as the man began to suffocate.

"If you touch even a single strand of his hair, I will rip your heart from your chest." He pulled the man away from the wall, just to slam him against it again, making sure to bash the back of his head as hard as he could. "This is not a joke, Lynchee. This is not an empty threat. Should anything happen to him, I will eviscerate you."

The mocking smirk glued to the general's lips faded away as his consciousness began to dissipate under the burning pain crushing at his neck. He desperately reached down to his attacker's hand, he punched and bashed his arms against it, but Ichigo didn't even flinch. Kicking in panic, and flapping his hands at the young Tuffle's face, Lynchee tried everything to get a small flow of air back in his lungs, but nothing gave.

"Ichigo…" Sudachi warned coldly.

However, Ichigo is too consumed in his burning rage to hear his father's words or if he heard them, he doesn't care to oblige. Digging his fingers even further in the man's neck, he continued to strangulate the general without a shred of mercy. Watching with a devious delight as the flickering glow of life was starting to waver away from the man's eyes.

Changing from pleased at his son's tormented heart screaming with hatred, Sudachi frowned at the lack of discipline of his offspring. Raising his left arm, he revealed a small bracelet hidden under the long sleeve of his uniform. Taking one finger to the glowing red button on the bracelet's center, he pressed his failsafe protocol.

At the same time, Ichigo released his hold on Lynchee's neck. The man fell to the ground, gasping for air, his eyes red and tearing up from the near-death experience.

One burning scream of pain exploded in the room, Ichigo fell to his knees as he takes both hands to his head. The button his father pressed activated the small device implanted on him, spreading piercing pain at every fiber of his being. He headbutted the floor in a desperate attempt to create another thing for him to focus, an injury that would bring him to a more tolerable level of pain, something that would make his head stop pounding so much.

The young red-haired man continued to agonize on the floor, drooling heavily at his lack of self-control. Is was only when his father pressed that button again, that his burning world of pain was taken away by the soothing solace of a headache.

"Remember your place, boy." Sudachi snarled at his son curled on the floor. "I made you, I made that blackened heart inside your chest. I MOLDED YOUR ANGER." He moved towards Ichigo and crouched next to him, grabbing the boy by his cheek, he forced his disobedient offspring to look at him. "You are a weapon, a thing made specially to kill Saiyans. Never again point that anger of yours at one of us. Is that understood?"

Barely registering anything happening to him, Ichigo looked at his father with a blurred gaze. "U-Understood…" He said quietly, barely louder than a whisper. He then felt his chin rushing down to the cold floor, wet with his drool.

He watched his father turn and walk away without a spare glance towards him. The same empty feeling of always engulfing his chest, leaving that familiar void to consume him yet again.

Ichigo wondered if he would go through the same cycle; tortured and despised, pushed to the brink of insanity, forced to go out into the infinite universe, and lash out everything into innocent civilizations, devastating another planet. To his surprise, he didn't feel the consuming hunger for destruction overtake him this time.

A small flicker still lingers in his barely beating heart. One small blaze carrying his conscious back to sanity. Closing his eyes, Ichigo brought his mental tendrils towards this soothing feeling, anchoring himself in this safe place. His beacon of light took form in his imagination, his little spark of hope took the form of a small angry-looking person.

Ichigo smiled faintly after seeing Coorin's eyes staring at him.

'I understand it now, Ringo…' He whispered to himself. 'This light saved you from darkness… Can it save me too?'

* * *

**\- Chapter End -**


	14. Chapter 14 - Just Temporarily, Right?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

* * *

**\- Chapter 14 -**

* * *

"Kale… are you ready for this?"

Caulifla eyed her friend carefully, noting the sudden stiffness of her form, staring with uneasiness at the pair of godly jewelry resting on her hands.

The young queen raised her gaze to her friend, her calloused thin fingers gripping the earrings in a firm hold. "I am… not." Kale replied with full sincerity. "But what choice do I have?"

"Every choice." Caulifla countered, her expression shifting to a mild frown. "Then… no choice at all." She relented a soft sigh, taking slow steps towards her friend. "I know you, Kale. Maybe better than most people ever will. There is no way that you will sit here in a pretty throne, keeping yourself safe while that dumbo husband of yours is out there… probably in trouble."

Feeling the comforting touch of Caulifla's hand on her left arm, Kale leaned forward and embraced her best friend in a loving and yet distressed caress.

After the sudden and alarming crash of Cabba's unit landing on the throne room. The pair of friends made their way to a more private area of the palace, at the suggestion and request of Vegeta himself. Not liking the course of Caulifla's suggestion, the old king moved them to the royal balcony at the crown of the building; hastily making sure to not let anyone get wind of what could happen between the young queen and her friend.

"I am the same way." Caulifla continues, now whispering her words tenderly at Kale's ears. "Cabba is out there too, my stupid and stubborn mate is out there and I don't even know where…" Wrapping her arms around her friend, pulling her into a tighter embrace, the young Saiyan warrior vented lightly in her emotions. "They need us, Kale. Just like years ago."

Pulling away from her friend's arms, Kale looked at Caulifla. "Bringing them back home… is all that matters. I will take on anything, on anyone with you." She said confidently, ushering the full persona of the strong queen she is. "What do we do?"

Caulifla's trademark boyish grin flashed on her lips, her expression as a whole getting brighter in an instant. "We don't know where they are." She stated as a matter of fact. "Lettu is in too much of a shock to say anything useful, everyone else is out cold…" She twirled in place, shooting her gaze towards the faintly shining weapon resting against the side of a bench. "We will use that stupid thing to go back to them."

"But that won't work." Kale rebutted lowly, letting her downcast stare travel to her husband's sword. "Only Asparus can use that sword."

"He uses his ki to control that thing, right?" Caulifla quickly replied. "It doesn't matter how 'special' his ki is, we just need to shove enough ki inside that thing to make it work." She pointed down to the pair of earrings at Kale's hands. "Maybe you or I can't sparkle the mumbo jumbo that makes that stupid sword works. But Kefla certainly can."

Kale looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow, not entirely buying the idea and yet not completely dismissing it.

"Come on, Kale. We have to at least try, right?" Caulifla pushed her suggestion with even more gusto. "If we fail to use it as Kefla, then we just need to wait an hour and that's that. But if it works."

"We can bring them back." Kale nodded firmly as she spoke the words.

Sharing a silent and understand glance between one another, the duo prepared themselves to the task ahead. Caulifla went ahead and took one of the earrings with her fingers, hastily adjusting it at one of her ears. Kale hesitated just for a moment, looking down at the piece of jewelry with apprehension; but all her attention and focus going down to her flat and lean belly.

"Stop!" A booming voice stormed the balcony, startling both girls at its suddenness. "Before you proceed… I want to speak to you, both of you."

The tall and imposing former king Vegeta stepped outside, closing the large doors behind him as he moved towards them.

"Mister V-Vegeta..." Kale acknowledges his presence with a shy reply. Caulifla at her side just grunted unpleasantly, rolling her eyes to the side.

The tall man sighed deeply in frustration. He was never good with this type of conversation, but he feels the obligation to go on with it anyway, putting him in a very uncomfortable position. "I will not try and stop you, Kale." Despite the cold edge of his always serious voice, his tone softened at the end when he called his daughter-in-law's name. "However, I will not refrain to speak of how reckless you are being. Not only to where you're trying to throw yourself in but also on how you're planning to do that."

"Save the preaching to a later time, old man." Caulifla snarled at the former king, making no effort to hold her previous distaste for the man. "Kale is a big girl; she doesn't need you bossing her around as you did to the rest of the planet."

Vegeta in return growled in a borderline furious manner. "You… girl. Unpleasant as ever. I will never understand what Cabba sees in a thug like you." Rubbing two fingers on the bridge of his nose, he tried to defuse his enflaming nerves. "The only fault of Sadala's young hero."

Instead of frowning or growling back at the man, Caulifla smirked and even laughed. "Too bad, old fart. I guess your precious hero icon is stuck with unpleasant me forever."

Having years in experience in the art of annoying the living soul out of the old king, Caulifla just grinned victoriously as Vegeta glared at her, tightening his fist in a threatening manner.

"Cabba is and will always be my most precious prodigy, his personal life aside. I have no illusion of controlling him nor what he likes or dislikes." Growing tired of the mocking grin on the girl's lips, Vegeta turned his back to her and stopped facing the door. "But Kale is another matter entirely. She is already too important to us. If anything happens to her and it is your fault…" He stopped in deadly silence, turning his head to glare at Caulifla one last time. "Return safely, girl."

Wasting no time in his retreat, Vegeta stormed inside into the palace again. As much as he tried to hide it, both Caulifla and Kale could see the faint little line of red crossing his cheeks as he walked away; if that was a red of a blushing or raising anger, it is impossible to know.

"The hell was that?" Caulifla frowned as she glanced at her friend. "He waisted all that time just to say that stupid crap? Couldn't he just say; 'Hey good luck, you two.'?"

A brief giggle escapes the young queen, one that she tried to hold with one hand. "He is too much serious to say anything like that… but he cares."

Kale pressed the palm of her free hand against her bare belly protectively. The change in outfit enabling the young queen to look more directly at her exposed skin.

In the quick detour she took in her bedroom to retrieve the hidden earrings, Kale changed from her regal clothing to a set of more battle appropriate ones. A mixture of her new persona and her old one; with the contrast of a long silk skirt and a short sleeveless shirt both in her favorite light blue color.

Caulifla, while not changing her casual attire entirely, asked Kale for a short shirt to accompany her loose black pants, a change she is not very happy about, seeing as the color blue is not her favorite. But with the possibility of them entering a battle, there would be nothing more annoying for her than to fight while felling the restraints of her long-sleeved pink blouse.

"Whatever… weirdo king." Pushing her rude thoughts about the older man aside, Caulifla walked towards the Omega Blade and took the sword in her hands. "Ready, Kale?"

"Yes, sis!"

* * *

Never in his life, Cabba felt as exhausted and numb as he feels right now. The mere act of breathing, blinking, or even thinking is a task of excruciating effort. Those blasted ships surrounding the planet are working 'wonders' on him like they did days ago.

He winces and grimaces at the thought.

Days ago… he has been hiding in this dump cavern for three days, with bare enough illumination to see a few inches away from his face. He tries to curse at this disgraceful accommodation, but the gentle nature in him cringes at this thought. If not for this strange hiding place, both him and Asparus would've been dead by now.

He still remembers the long hours he spent carrying his unconscious friend, dragging him at his side as he wandered this ever-dark planet. Waves and waves of invading forces raining down from the sky, searching for them; he knows that they are looking for them even at this moment. And not only those faceless mechanical monstrosities are trampling on the earth now, but also humanoid creatures as well, made of flesh and blood.

If not for only a single native that approached him, offering the battered Saiyans a place to hide… Cabba grits his teeth at the length that his imagination can go about this topic.

He swiftly shakes his head, throwing away the unnecessary thoughts from his mind. Instead, he concentrates at himself, his body and mind, entering a calm meditation. But after a few minutes of nothing but aching muscles, he gives up and pushes his head back, resting it against the uneven wall.

Cabba is sitting on the dirty ground, both legs sprawled forward as it too much of a hassle to maintain them in any other way.

"Eat." A soft high-pitched voice called out to him. "Food may be bad, but food is energy…?" The small dark-skinned creature holds her small round hand against its bubbly chin, not sure if she has spoken the proper word. But after one quick shrug, the small Tatabi bounced her way over to Cabba.

Cabba watched as the mysterious little creature brought him a bowl full of a purple liquid. He smiled at his new friend and gracefully accepted the bowl, even if he is not too keen to taste this stuff again. Last time he tried to eat this pasty cream, he almost gagged at the awful flavor rushing down his throat.

"Not going away… are they?" The small Tatabi bounced towards the small entrance to the cave, her sparkling lantern-like eyes fixated on the numerous vessels floating on the sky.

"I don't think they will…" Cabba replied with a solemn voice. "At least, not until they find us." He saw the bubbly creature jump and look at him startled. He studied the Tatabi for a few moments, almost expecting it to rush out and call those invaders over just to take him away and free her people from this torment.

"Stay forever there then." The Tatabi spat in an angry manner which just looked cute with her childish voice and size. "Friends pushed monsters away. I never give friends to them."

"Thank you… Tibbi." Cabba smiled at the little creature.

Tibbi nodded happily to the young Saiyan and probably smiled back. Not that Cabba can know for sure seeing that he cannot truly see Tibby's mouth under the dark hazy glow that floats around her features.

Growing impatient at his constant state of weakness, Cabba made up his mind and brought the bowl to his lips. Turning the thing in one go, he swallowed everything. The pasty liquid sliding down his throat uncomfortably, almost like a slug was shuffling down his pipe.

Giggling happily and even clapping her little hands in applause, Tibbi bounced over to Cabba, happy to see him eating the food she made. "Eat enough and energy will come back." Tibbi states firmly.

Watching the funny antics of the small Tatabi always brings a soft smile to Cabba lips, one that lasts until he glances to the man lying on the ground at his side. He narrows his eyes in a struggle to look at Asparus or to catch a glimpse of his friend's face within this darkness.

The young Saiyan king has been in a coma for three days without giving a single sign of coming back. At first, Cabba just thought that his friend was feeling the same forced exhaustion he has been suffering from. But after so much time without a change, he is starting to worry profoundly about Asparus' health.

"Sparkly one didn't wake up again, right?" Tibbi said in a sad voice, her shining eyes fixated on Asparus' peaceful face. "I worry about him."

"Me too, Tibbi…" Cabba growled in frustration, rubbing one hand slowly across his face. "I guess if those infernal things up in the sky keep sucking away our ki… he will take longer to recover."

"No!" Tibbi jumped in front of Cabba. "Sparkly one is… recover?" The small Tatabi tilted her head to the side, unsure about the word, but then dismissed the small concern. "His energy is back… days ago."

Cabba looked at his small bubbly friend with a furrowed brow. "His ki is back?" He asked unsure if he understood Tibbi's words.

"Yes! Ki…? Energy, the spirit energy. He has it all back." Tibbi bounced towards Asparus and leaned over at him, poking his cheeks with her small round hand. "But Sparkly one is different."

"You know something about it?" Cabba asked in a sterner voice, this change of tone startling the little Tatabi slightly. "Tibbi, please… I need to know." Mellowing his voice a bit more, Cabba tried to convey his sincerity to the Tatabi. "Please, he is my best friend."

Tibbi sighed quietly and nodded. "Sparkly one is different… because he is Sparkly!" Both of her little hands shoot up enthusiastically. "He feels like them, the powerful ones from the sky… Gods? I think that is one name to use."

Cabba nodded quietly, since long ago he knows about the special kind of ki that flows inside his friend. "So, you think he is a god?" He asked.

"Thinks? No…. I know he is not." Tibbi replies seriously or as serious as her voice let her sound. "Sparkly one has their glow… but he is not one of them." The small Tatabi sat beside Asparus, resting her round body against him, letting out a few sad sounds. "Sparkly one is pretty; the glow is pretty… But is not good."

"Why is the glow not good?" Cabba pushed a little more, feeling an eerie sensation growing inside of him.

"The glow… is bad." Tibbi let out a sobbing sound. "Sparkly one is losing to the glow. The light inside of him is eating him. The more he glows… the more he dies."

A piercing cold crossed Cabba's body, crashing his heart to the ground. He stared at Tibbi and to Asparus with startled wide eyes. "He is dying?!" He jumped to his feet, almost rushing over to his friend's side. "What you mean he is dying?!"

Tibbi got scared of the sudden outburst. The small Tatabi bounced to the other side of the cave, her giant glowing eyes staring at Cabba with a terrifying expression on them.

"Sorry… Tibbi." Cabba raised his hands in apology, calming the little creature. "But, what did you mean with that?"

Still wary of Cabba, Tibbi slowly stepped closer, holding her gaze down with each bouncing step. "I mean what I said. The glow is eating him away. The more he glows, the more he dies. If he doesn't glow, he is safe." Taking a seat next to Asparus again, Tibby watched as the young king sleeps peacefully. "His body is not made to hold this light. I can't understand why he has it, but his body can't handle it."

Letting this boulder-like information settle its weight in his mind, Cabba slid down to his spot again. His eyes staring in a confused way towards his friend. 'Asparus… do you know about this?' He wondered in deep silence.

Then a lot of weird things started to make sense to the young Saiyan soldier. The confusing outbursts on his friend's part, how weird he always gets when using this power and how his body just shuts down after pushing it too far.

Piecing together a giant puzzle with his thoughts, Cabba could only feel a wave of rising anger stirring in his chest. His best friend is killing himself ever so slowly and he probably knows about it, if not, he is just utterly reckless. Either way, Cabba will not stand idle and let this happen… he will not let Asparus die again.

Ever since that day of his fight against Freeza, Cabba swore to never let a situation like that happen again. He cannot… he will not hold a crying Kale in his arms again.

* * *

"Any signs of the target?" A static voice streamed through the com of every soldier on the ground.

"Negative." One of the black-clad invaders replied with a hiss, the companions at his side staring at him while he spoke to the device at his wrist.

"Keep looking!" The voice from before echoed to everyone in the group. "We have new orders! No one will leave the planet until we find the target."

"Copy that, sir." The soldier replied and deactivated the streaming microphone in his arm.

Receiving another check-up call, the sixth one in an hour, the unit made of ten soldiers resumed the search across the broken planes of this forsaken planet. At his point, they have circled this area more than three times in a roll, but at each attempt to compromise with their commanders about the futility of searching the same place again, only got them four more rounds of searching the same damn place.

At this point, they are only strolling without purpose on the same route they took previously. In the hopes of just waiting in an uneventful patrol until another group finally arrests the target, they continued going without a worry in their minds.

Until the monotony of their routine got broken by a tempestuous surge of light coming to life above the abandoned village ahead of them, the one they raided days ago.

The group sprinted at full speed towards the light source, some even dropping their heavier equipment in the hurry. Reaching the edge of the razed little village the group stopped, instantly shielded their eyes from that blinding light.

"Command, respond!" One of the soldiers tried to contact one of the spacecraft in the sky; his attempt only got static noises as a response. "Communication is off, piece of crap never works when it needs to! Dammit, we are on our own."

"Screw the command then!" Another soldier growled his frustration. "I say we deal with. There are just enough days of boredom I can take without going crazy." Most of his companions seem to share his sentiment, as they grin and nod at the implication of venting out on something again.

"Hey… look at that." A third man walked forward, letting his hand drop away from his line of sight. "Is that what I think it is?"

The soldiers who were trying to speak with the command center stepped next to the other man, his gaze fixated on the silhouette forming within that light. "Is that the target?" He raised his arm and pressed a button, creating a faint hologram in front of him. "Silver light, that is one of the traits listed here."

A greedy groan echoed from behind the two at the front, this noise coming from the broader and taller soldier; a red-skinned alien with one large horn poking out from his forehead. "Who cares about that now." He said with a drooling voice, his words making the commanding officer frown. "Are you blind, tuffle man?" The man puffed his chest in a vain attempt to assert domination. "We have been starving for action for way too long here."

"Your point?" The Tuffle officer growled the question.

"Look, the light is almost out." The red man licked his lips, an evil gleam flashing in his eyes.

Every soldier directed their attention to the point where the light was coming from, now no more than a thin line left to reach up to the stars. They all stopped in wonder as the figure of a woman came to view.

"At attention everyone!" The officer shouted his order, raising his hand for his men to get in position.

"Screw that!" The red man jumped ahead of the group; his crazed eyes fixated on the woman. "I will enjoy breaking that petite thing." Trampling forward like a maddened beast in heat, this brute charged towards her with both hands twitching in front of him.

"Stupid thing!" Snarled the officer. "That's why I hate working with these inferior beasts." Pushing his hand forward, the leader of the group guided his forces after the large red man. Cursing the bestiality of this fiend, the man was preparing himself to take the woman prisoner before the unhinged alien could do any lasting harm to her.

However, he and his entire unit froze in place after the red menace came flying right back at them, passing by the group like a flash of black and red, right before crashing to his death against some rock formation far in the back.

"What an awful place." An echoing voice sounded off; two voices have spoken in perfect synchrony. "The stench of burning things and an ugly ass face rushing towards me… never had a shittier welcome than that."

"Don't stay there gawking at her. Arrest the insurgent!" The Tuffle officer let his voice boom loudly, throwing his unit into an organized frenzy.

Advancing in a single line, one at the side of the other, the soldiers charge forward towards the woman, reading their advanced weaponry to subdue this stranger.

"I am not in a mood, you freaks." She cracked her knuckles, glaring dangerously towards the incoming group of soldiers. "But if you want it so badly… I will beat your ass into the dirt!"

* * *

A large crash echoed inside the small cave, the loud and sudden noise scaring the living soul out of Tibbi. With her heart beating like ongoing drums, she looked behind her just to see a startled Cabba staring out to the wind outside.

"C-Cabba?" Tibbi called out to him, her large glowing eyes staring at his rigid form. "Something wrong?"

"T-this ki… it cannot be… It can't…" Cabba bit his lower lip in frustration, anger, and more than all else, panic. "Caulifla?" Ignoring his heavy body, the ongoing fatigue consuming his left-over energy, Cabba rushed towards the exit at a surprisingly fast pace.

Tibbi jumped form her spot with a horrified expression. "Friend?!" She called out to him before Cabba could jump out from the small entrance. "No! Outside is bad, dangerous. You can't go."

Clenching his hold at the edges of the tight entrance, Cabba glanced back to the scared little dark-skinned creature. He gave her a sympathetic look, trying to convey his feelings through his eyes before speaking. "Sorry, Tibbi. I need to go out, I have to." Sparing a quick look at his comatose friend, Cabba's expression grew a bit colder, more worried. "Look out for Asparus for me, okay?"

The small Tatabi raised both hands to protest but gave up under the serious gaze coming from her new friend. Trailing her eyes to the man sleeping at the side, Tibbi sighed and nodded. "Sparkly one will be safe."

A soft smile graced Cabba's lips as he gave a wordless nod of gratitude to the small Tatabi. Only three days was enough for him to develop great care for the small bubbly Tibbi, probably in no small part on how reliable she has been and how trustful she can be. Yet as much as the young Saiyan soldier would like to stand quietly and praise Tibbi's qualities, he has no time to spare.

Glaring at the foggy air ahead of him, Cabba hardened his resolve with a long breath. Forcing himself to go forward, he jumped out from the hole at the side of the purple mountain. As his feet touched the muddy surface of the broken ground. He winced at the subtle pain rushing upwards his legs, sadly he underestimated the huge fall from the small hideout of Tibbi's cave to the base of the mountain bellow.

With gritted teeth he endured the pain, with a burning sensation rushing from his muscles, Cabba ignored the screams of exhaustion coming from his body. With a single thought in mind, Cabba began to run faster than he has even run before in his life.

He tried with every fiber of his being to jump and ascend to the air, to fly towards his wife and mate, yet his jump only made him fall face flat to the ground a few paces forward. Cursing at his weakened state, Cabba jumped at his feet again and began to run in rhythmic form. If he is too weak to fly, he will just have to sprint across entire this entire place if it means that he will reach his love in time.

Traversing on this wet-marsh of a field would be hard on any other day, to try and sprint across this slippery surface at his full speed is a near-impossible task. The fact that Cabba could continue sprinting non-stop for twenty minutes before stumbling between his feet and tripping down to the ground is nothing short of a miracle.

But in another struck of luck, he managed to fall right at the edge of a giant slope. Despite the excruciating feeling of the physical pain of his knees scraping and gridding against the barren ground, Cabba still managed to do what he wanted; he traveled down from higher planes at the mountainous area to the fair plains where he previous arrived with his squad three days ago.

Hitting the bottom of the slope, Cabba rolled forward awkwardly, getting dirt and mud spots everywhere. With trembling arms, he pushed himself back to his feet, or at least he desperately tried to. Falling on his backside, Cabba began to breathe harshly, those invisible waves crashing from above onto him, unmaking the little bit of progress he achieved while hiding in that cave.

"I have too…" His left fist bashed against the ground, large veins bulging at his arms with the amount of effort he put in that action. "Caulifla, I need to get to her." Pushing his weight down against the ground, Cabba bounced back to his feet in a wobbly way.

Using what ki he has left to spare, Cabba straightened his form by pushing the air around him. But to remaining standing in such a way is taking everything from him, and any false movement is sure to bring him down.

"Caulifla…" He dragged his feet forward, red lines are marking and spreading down his legs from the blood dripping down from the fresh wounds at his knees. At each firm step taken forward, Cabba leaves behind an imprint of his boot together with little drops of blood.

The more he drags himself forward, the stronger her presence gets. Still, there is more to it than just Caulifla, Cabba can feel that. Another familiar feeling, another familiar presence reaching out to him, but it doesn't seem to matter. His every thought is consumed with his wife, her safety, and what could be happening to her right now.

Cabba knows how strong and fierce his mate is, but the thought that something bad may occur to her strips away any string of reason from his mind. He just wants to see Caulifla again, to take her away from his awful place, to embrace his mate closely and never let her go again.

The faint hope of holding Caulifla in his arms again guides Cabba's uneven steps forward. Utterly distracted by his delusions of her, he barely notices the destroyed buildings at his side, the stench of death and destruction surrounding him as he enters that ruined village he abandoned days ago.

"Caulifla… where…" Following the alluring presence of her ki, Cabba continued to march forward, his right hand just wobbling forward in search of his wife.

"Cabba?"

His body stiffened frozen after hearing someone calling him from behind. Turning slowly despite his desperate eagerness, the young Saiyan soldier turned to face the woman standing behind him. The steam and stress that was building inside of him completely deflated which forced him to sit down as it was the only thing holding his legs firm.

Glancing upwards, his eyes almost watered at the sight of her, the familiar warmth that she brings so near him once again. Yet a small confusion flared from within him, a strangeness that caught Cabba off guard.

"K-Kefla…?" How many years have passed since he has uttered this name? Cabba can't even put it to words, not in the tired state he is in. Instead, he just drinks at the sight of her letting his eyes experience everything that they can about this woman.

Sun-kissed skin, well-defined muscles, and perfect curves; Kefla's alluring charm hasn't changed or diminished in the slightest over time. Instead, she somehow looks more stunning than before; mature looking, slightly taller, and more composed than what she used to be years ago. The girl of impossible feats outdone herself again and achieved what Cabba considered impossible, she has become even more beautiful.

Wearing long loose black colored pants with flashy light blue stripes at the side, a short light blue shirt without sleeves with some pairing boots that look like a combination of Caulifla and Kale's footwear.

With Asparus fabled weapon in hands, Kefla has a strangely dignified look to her with the boyish charm of Caulifla's features and Kale's straighter form.

By the gods, Cabba can't take his eyes away from her. From the hundreds of things crossing his mind right now, the one that hasn't even got close to register in his thoughts is the fact that he is undressing with his eyes the woman that is half his wife and half the wife of his best friend.

"Hey, what's up with the cold shoulders?" Kefla did a fake annoyed reaction, putting both hands at her hips and giving Cabba a little frown. But after giving him a proper look, her act disappeared in favor of a genuine look of concern. "Cabba… What happened to you?"

Hastily rushing over to his side, Kefla kneeled next to him, raising one hand towards him but hesitating to touch his bruised cheek.

Yearning for that familiar touch and warmth, Cabba leaned forward, letting her small hand rest on his cold skin. "A lot happened… gods, Caulifla… I missed you so much." His eyes widened after the words escaped him, the realization making him glance to the side uncomfortably. "Can I treat you as Caulifla… at least for a moment?"

"Of course you can, dummy." She smiled sweetly at him. "You don't need to ask, never. I am Caulifla."

One stifled chuckle escaped him. "You are Kale too. I just want a moment with my wife, but I can wait." He sighed quietly. 'What is an hour compared to three days.'

"Stop that…" Kefla growled at him. "I am your wife!" The hint of sweetness of her voice disappeared for the moment, changing to a pint of hurt. "Cabba, look at me." She brought her right hand to his chin, guiding his gaze back to hers. "Who did this to you?" She pointed to his bleeding legs. "How in the world did you get this trashed in the spam of a few hours?"

"Hours?!" Cabba scoffed a bit too loudly, something that made her glare at him but in a non-aggressive way. "Kefla, I've been stuck on this planet for three days."

Kefla was ready to smack him in the head to see if it would help to straighten his thoughts, but the look of sincerity in his eyes made her reconsider that option. "Cabba, we talked just six hours ago. I would remember spending three entire days without you."

Now Cabba is the one staring at her with an incredulous look. "I've been spending my entire time here awake. Every single moment just meditating and thinking… thinking about you. Cau—Kefla… I've counted every hour of these days. Seventy and four hours… feeling like crap."

The woman in front of him felt taken back by his words. As Caulifla, she has never seen Cabba like this, not even a single time. He looks and sounds so jaded, tired, and drained. Not a trace of his playful persona, that pretty smirks that he tends to show her now and then. Seeing her husband, one of the people she loves the most in her life, broken like this; almost broke her too.

"Cabba…" With her heart aching because of him, Kefla leaned forward and embraced him with every bit of love she could muster. "I am here now; everything will be fine. I love you."

Her voice resonated within him. Even with Kale's voice mixed with Caulifla's didn't deter the surging of feelings coming over Cabba. Hell, her sweet voice only pushed Cabba past his limit. Letting go of any concern plaguing his mind, the young Saiyan hero just gave in to screaming pleas of his heart.

Bringing one hand in a soft touch to her cheek, Cabba brought Kefla closer to him and pressed his lips against her. It was quick and sweet, but it was everything that he needed at this moment. "I love you too."

Still feeling the lingering touch of his lips on hers, Kefla pressed her forehead against his, a content smile blossoming in return. As much bliss and happiness that is flooding her heart, there is one heavy lump stuck in her chest, one still present concern that is just as important as holding Cabba in her arms again.

"Where is he?" She asked with a soft voice, not wanting to lose the warmth of Cabba's body close to her. "Cabba, where is Asparus?"

He sighed, long and tiredly. Deep down he wanted to hiss and complain about having to do anything but focus on her, yet he is burdened by his worries about his friend. A growing concern that is now tarnished with a pang of guilt.

He knows that he should not have kissed Kefla. One kiss shared with her is enough to create gigantic implications and problems, so much so that he dismisses the idea of listing them up. Still, the one that he cannot ignore, is how much he wants to kiss her again. Despite all the problems he can create, Cabba just wants to kiss Kefla again.

"Cabba!" She called out to him again, this time a bit louder.

Rubbing the back of his head while forming his reply, Cabba watches as Kefla slowly moves away from him. Those onyx eyes that were just now staring at him with so much love and passion, are now drenched in panic.

"Asparus is…" He sighed.

Should he say that Asparus is safe? Wouldn't that be a lie? Or it will be hiding information?

Either option is far from being the right one or even a good one. Trying to think about this shows to Cabba how much his lack of sleep is starting to affect him.

"Kefla." He breathed her name in a long-form, giving himself time to awkwardly get back in his feet. "I will take you to where he is." Cabba smiled faintly at her, then straightened himself to walk forward, just to slip and arch forward. If not for Kefla acting fast by supporting him, Cabba would have crumbled to his knees again.

"Let me help you." She pleaded in a way that only Kale knows how. "Just hold to me, I will keep you up."

Cabba nodded to her request, carefully resting his arm on her shoulders, letting her hand slip to his waist and firmly hold him close to her. "We need to go up that mountain." He pointed to the pinkish formation on the other side of the ruined village. "I left Asparus in a safe spot there."

"I can fly us up there." She pointedly suggested, almost going airborne with Cabba on her arms. But stopped when he pushed his arm softly down. "Cabba! Stop being stubborn, let me carry you."

"We can't." He hissed lowly. Raising his trembling right arm, Cabba pointed up, taking Kefla's attention towards the giant spaceships for the first time. In a way he found cute how she yelped in surprise, utterly oblivious to the hovering danger on the sky. "If we fly, they will find us. It is already a miracle that they didn't find us already."

"The hell?!" Kefla glanced from one vessel to the other, her manner of speaking changing to a more Caulifla-like way. "Care to explain the parade going on here?" She looked back at Cabba looking for an answer.

"I will… there is a lot of ground to cover before we get back to the cave." Taking a step forward, Cabba pressed Kefla to do the same, starting the slow but steady walk towards the mountains. "Kefla… Can you promise me something?"

She frowned at the weird tone of his voice, but still nodded promptly. "Sure, anything."

He smiled at her honest reply, but a smile that quickly faded away. "Don't ask anything about Asparus until he wakes up… Can you promise me that?"

"Until he wakes up?" She glanced at Cabba, with a serious frown on her face. "Cabba, what happened to Asparus? Is he okay? Why would you make me promise something like that?"

Cabba almost cursed at himself. Of course that stupid question would just alarm Kefla even more. She is half Kale, and she would instantly panic after hearing that, why would Kefla be any different?

But he needs her to comply, he desperately needs. He can't lie to her, he can't lie to his wife, not about this. The things Tibbi told him earlier, he needs to rationalize them first. Cabba needs to come to terms with everything on his own before sharing anything with Kefla. And if Asparus just wakes up, then he could just settle this with Kale when the Potara fusion runs off.

"Just promise me." He insisted, his eyes a mixture of pure sincerity and pitifulness.

She didn't like it, not for a moment. Yet Kefla relented to his request. Giving a soft grunt as her reply, she began to focus more on carrying Cabba on their way, trying ever so hard to not fret over her other husband's situation.

For the rest of their journey, Kefla barely said any other word. She just listened in silence as Cabba explained the situation on the planet and the unrelenting attacks coming from the sky.

Kefla gave him the space he asked for, but this created a small rift between the two of them. One scary silence that bothered Kefla just as much it bothered Cabba.

After the midway point on their trip, where Kefla had to carry Cabba on her back, there was only the sound of their struggle and the infernal humming of those ships above them. No more words traded between them, just contemplation and the soft exchange of touches in a few separated moments.

As confusing and painful it is to admit, Cabba finds endearing how sweet Caulifla is when she has Kale's gentleness in her. By the gods, it is happening again and he can't control it. It is so easy for him to lose himself on her, on thoughts about Kefla. And he knows how dangerous this is, for everyone.

'Sorry, Kale… sorry for being selfish.' Cabba thought about saying the words but they never left his mouth. He just looked down towards the steep ground while Kefla carried him towards the summit.

* * *

**\- Chapter End -**


	15. Chapter 15 - More Than Troublesome

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

_**AN: Geez, doing a bit of re-reading on my last chapter, I noticed that inconsistency with Tibby's name. For some reason I kept writing it as "Tibbi" when I clearly wanted to type Tibby. Maybe word auto-corrected it or something...? But yet, Tibby is her correct name.**_

* * *

**\- Chapter 15 -**

* * *

"Look, look! Sparkly one is stirring, he is back!"

Asparus got pulled away from the comfort of the soothing abyss of his deep slumber by the echoes of a loud high-pitched voice. Feeling strangeness of this outlandish tone sounding so close to him, made the young Saiyan king jolt his eyes wide open, his arms rising into a semi-defensive stance.

"Hi… you."

To his surprise, however, the first thing to greet him back to the world is the echoing sound of a voice that is so familiar and yet distant to him.

Once his gaze settled on the beautiful face right above him, Asparus had to blink twice the sense of dizziness that was threatening to take his focus away.

"Hah… Hahah…" Much to Kefla's surprise and Cabba's too, Asparus just began to laugh; a soft and low ringing laughter. "I am having one of those dreams again?" He admitted aloud, his confession making her giggle and his friend at the back to perk an eyebrow up.

"The sleeping beauty finally decided on waking up?" Kefla tapped two fingers at his forehead, her whim of touching him in any way disguising itself in the form of a playful bump. "You really scared us this time."

"We almost dragged you outside to let the rain wash you over. I'd wager that a nice cold bath would stir you up, but Kefla almost snapped my neck for suggesting it." Cabba said with a big smirk.

Slowly pulling his back up, Asparus sat down, bringing one hand up his face to brush the grogginess away. "Not a dream, then." He sighed quietly, sounding almost disappointed.

From the corner of his eyes, Asparus noticed a round figure jumping up and down. At first, he had disregarded it as just an illusion that the darkness was playing in his eyes, that until he noticed the pair of glowing yellow eyes staring right at him.

Normally he would have stood up and charged right at that mysterious being, forcing a very thorough interrogation on them. But with Cabba and… Kefla, acting so normal at the presence of that being, he just trailed his gaze to his friend and asked the question with that same glance.

"Don't worry, she is friendly." Cabba reassured his friend, moving casually towards the bouncing foggy creature. "Asparus, this is Tibby. She helped us hide and kept you safe while you were asleep." Cabba patted the Tatabi on the head making her squeal strangely at the touch. "Go on, Tibby. Introduce yourself now that his eyes are open."

Cabba had to repress the surging laugh as he watched Tibby shyly step over towards Asparus. The brave little Tatabi that sought him out on her own volition and warmed up to Kefla in a manner of seconds, is now barely keeping her gaze even with Asparus' serious eyes.

"H-Hi…" She said in a stutter, eyes firmly staring to the side.

"Hello there." Asparus replied warmly. He smiled at the shy Tatabi, finding cute her reservation towards him. "If what Cabba said is true, then you have my gratitude… Tibby, is it?"

Her round little hands danced around each other, her lantern-like eyes getting a bit smaller, gaining a strange gloom to their glow. "Hum… it was… nothing." She blurred out in a low voice. "Only helped, because friends punished bad people… It is not like I wanted to help… it was just right to help…"

As much as Cabba tried to hold in for the sake of his little friend, he couldn't hold anymore. Soon enough his voice exploded within the cave, his laughter echoing as loud as it could, bouncing against each wall and making Tibby curl into a little ball mortified with embarrassment.

"Sorry, Tibby." Cabba said in between his ongoing laughter. "But this is too much, your personality just did a one-eighty." He wiped the small tears forming at the corner of his eyes, making sure to swallow his laugh before he could kill the poor thing with shame. "Aren't you a lady's killer?" He turned his smirk towards Asparus, who just eyed him with a confused expression.

"Hey!" Kefla jumped with both arms up. "You better watch out short stuff. Asparus is my husband and I am not giving him to you." Kefla didn't really believe that the little Tatabi would or could steal her husband away, but from the short time she got to know the bubbly girl, she loves using anything to tease Tibby into a curling ball.

However, Kefla's jesting spout had the complete opposite effect this time. Tibby that was indeed curled into a ball trying to hide her embarrassment from the young king, sprung right back to her feet and glanced utterly curious at the fused woman.

"Sparkly one is your… husband?" The intonation of her voice showed confusion both at the question and at the word she used at the end.

"Sparkly one?" Asparus furrowed his brow looking down at Tibby's little hand pointing at him.

"Yes, Tibby. Asparus is my husband. My mate and partner if that is easier for you to understand." Kefla eased an explanation to the Tatabi girl that then looked at Cabba and pointed at him.

"I thought Cabba was your mate." She tilted her head slightly to the side. "He was hugging you, a lot… is that normal?"

"Well… it is, for us." Kefla rubbed one finger against her cheek. In her mind she doesn't see anything she did as wrong, but to convey that to someone so stranger to her and them is another matter entirely. "You see, Tibby. Cabba is also my mate."

"You can do that?!" The Tatabi gaze went into a frenzy streak, moving from Cabba to Kefla and Asparus all in quick succession. "All Tatabi learns about the bonds of souls, how we have links with each other, and the most important link of all, mates." She frowned, sitting down on the ground and crossing her tiny arms. "How can you have two soul mates? Isn't that wrong?"

Tibby's innocent voice ringed heavier on Kefla's mind that she minded feeling. She wouldn't blame an alien for finding her situation weird, but the way both Cabba and Asparus flinched at those words made her chest ache as if she was stabbed with a cold knife.

"There's nothing wrong with that!" She boomed in denial, her angered voice startling the poor Tatabi away from her spot. "I love Asparus and I love Cabba just as much! They are my mates; I will not have anyone saying that what we share is wrong."

"Kefla, you don't have to get this upset." Cabba chimed in, getting himself between the disturbed Saiyan woman and the small Tatabi girl. "Why don't you explain to her who Caulifla and Kale are?"

"And why would wanna I do that?" Kefla roared at the suggestion, Caulifla's temper getting the better of her duality.

"No one will force you." Asparus raised his voice too, giving the conflicted girl a sympathetic look. "Is just easier if we wait until the Potara thingy runs out and then we explain to the little Tibby."

Where Asparus expected at least an agreeing nod coming from his friend, he only received one long and uncomfortable silence. The way Cabba and Kefla drifted their gazes to the side only made the young king get more suspicious.

"I don't think that this path is an available option." Cabba tried his best to keep an even and straight look as Asparus' gaze tore holes on him.

"Why is that?" Asparus quickly rebutted. "I would expect you to agree that Caulifla and Kale themselves would better explain this situation than Kefla, for obvious reasons."

Cabba sighed profoundly. This is not going to be easy or pretty; he can see already how fast Asparus is breathing and he hasn't even said a tenth of what he needs to say. "Asparus, just don't freak out, okay?"

This request didn't ease Asparus' nerves and Cabba knew that it wouldn't. The stern gaze he was getting from his friend quickly turned into a burning glare, a dangerous one, warning for Cabba to keep going and keep it simple.

"You've been in a coma for four days since we arrived on this planet." Cabba began to explain. "Kefla appeared here one day ago and when I say appeared, I mean it. Just like you do with that sword." He pointed to the Omega Blade resting at the corner, the godly weapon serving as a bright beacon within the darkness, glowing so much that the cave doesn't even look that dark anymore.

"That's impossible." Asparus interjected, his gaze fixated on his sword. "Only I can—"

"But I managed to use it." Kefla declared proudly, getting his attention back to her. "I wouldn't say that I controlled that stupid sword, but I shoved enough ki inside of it, that I managed to activate it."

The serious sharpness that is edging the young king's expression shifted into something colder, more desperate. "No… no, no. You CAN'T! You shouldn't!" Asparus jumped back to his feet, the ground trembling under the pressure of his ki exploding around him. "That sword bends reality itself; space and time… She arrived one day ago?" He threw his sharp and erratic gaze towards Cabba. "ONE DAY! What have you done? Have you lost your mind?!"

"I DID WHAT I NEEDED TO DO!" Kefla shouted back at him, but her words don't carry the angry weight of them at least not in the same intensity as his words do. "I saw an entire squad crash in front of my eyes in the throne room. I held Lettu in my arms as he cried and asked for forgiveness, forgiveness for leaving you behind. I would do anything to see you two again."

"Look where that mindset got you, Kale… Kefla." He took a long breath, reading himself to roar even louder as a mountain of words rushed from his throat. But before he could berate her to the full extent, Asparus deflated his chest and turned towards the other way. "You're stuck like that."

"I am… and I would do everything the same." She replied quietly, her duo-toned voice resonating with the hurt aching in her chest.

Her pained voice hurt Asparus more than a thousand ki blasts exploding on his back. She sounded so much like Kale, his Kale. Yet he can't give away, as much as he wants to turn around and pull her into a tight embrace…

'What she did was wrong…' Asparus let his ki died out, leaving only his sword to illuminate the darkness around them.

"Asparus." Cabba called out to his friend, a blank and lukewarm calling. "Let's go out and take some fresh air. I need to talk with you."

The first to react to this invitation is Kefla. She darted her gaze to Cabba, giving him a dangerous glare and a disapproving snarl. "More secrets, huh?" She spat at her mate.

It was hard to not wince at her words, it was already hurting him to keep something so important from Kefla, it was a struggle to keep a blank façade when confronted with that look of betrayal in her eyes.

"I will wait outside, please don't take too long." Wearing a heavy look in his eyes, Cabba excused himself form the cave, choosing not to look back at Kefla as he walked away. Because of that he missed the longing gaze she gave at him before he turned a corner and disappeared from view.

Asparus couldn't bear to look at Kefla right now, he knew that it would take more than he was able to muster to stay angry at her if she looked at him with puppy eyes. And he needs to stay mad, he needs to stay centered, with his feet planted on reality.

Shuffling on his spot, he spun around towards the cave entrance and began to march in a stiff and rhythmic pace. But as he passed beside Kefla, she took a step towards him and grabbed the side of his shirt.

"Please… don't hate me." She pleaded with a soft voice.

His heart stopped, for a single moment his entire world stopped. As much as he wanted to avoid looking at her, his eyes developed a will of their own, going straight and hastily towards her frame so close to him.

In a whim, his right hand went up, grazing softly on her cheek. Guided by his hand, Kefla raised her face towards him, her pretty eyes focusing on him with a glint of hope in them.

"I will never hate you." He spoke softly, caringly, with all the love he has for her. Yet his eyes are still strict and cold, showing that he has not forgiven her just yet.

The Kale part of her understood the meaning behind his words and gesture. They have shared more than a few difficult times and this was his way of showing that despite their argument, Asparus still cares and loves her. But the Caulifla part of her felt frustrated, angered, hurt. She wanted him to sweep her off her feet, embrace her, kiss her, and tell that everything was fine, that they could just focus on getting out of here and back to their lives.

Conflicted with this storm of feeling inside of her, Kefla stepped back and pulled her hand away from his shirt. Staring down at her feet, she stood in place as Asparus quietly walked after Cabba, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

"Sparkly one is mean and angry…" Tibby trailed behind Kefla, her large eyes staring up at the hurting Saiyan woman.

Kefla chuckled at the commentary. Deciding to focus her attention on the friendly Tatabi at her side, instead of brooding in her sadness. "He is not mean; he is just upset."

Tibby hummed and glanced towards the exit. "I hope so. He was prettier with a peaceful face."

"Tibby... I am not giving my husband to you."

* * *

Walking out from the small hideout, Asparus saw his friend standing a few paces away, resting his back against the purple surface of the giant broken mountain. He seems quiet in contemplation, almost serene in a way if not for the apocalyptic scenery flashed out in the background.

"She doesn't deserve that." Cabba acknowledged his friend's presence without turning his head to look at him. "Even if it was wrong or dumb, they only did what they thought was best. Kefla only wants to help."

A low growl surged from within the young king. He could name dozens of reasons why he needed to be harsh and even cold towards Kefla, but seeing the self-righteous tone incoming from Cabba, he knows that it would be a folly on his part.

Instead of replying in form to Cabba, Asparus just stepped next to his friend and leaned against the wall himself. "It was stupid, not dumb." He growled quietly.

"I know." Cabba replied, nodding briefly in accordance.

"Now they are stuck like that." Asparus vented his breath more fervently.

"I also know that."

"She is pregnant, Cabba." He stopped for a moment as if acknowledging this fact right now brings him a piercing headache. "Kale is expecting a baby, our baby. What the hell am I supposed to do with this situation, huh?"

In the split of a moment, Cabba's resolute answers burned to ashes of nothingness. He had spent the entire night constructing this conversation in his head, he had an outliner for every turn and change that it could take, he even had planned for the case of his friend getting aggressive and less cooperative, but he never saw those words coming.

'Everything will be okay.' He thought of the words, he drew countless ways of speaking them last night, yet he can't bring himself to say it.

"How this affect her or the baby? What will happen when she goes back to normal? Will anything be back to normal?" Asparus shuddered at the last remark, his expression twisting in a terrified scowl. "How do I even address her?"

"If nothing, at least as a friend." Cabba said, his thoughts conflicting in their own way. "They are still there, you know. Caulifla and Kale are still there, they can hear us, they can see us… they still love us."

"Should I love them back?" Cold and inexpressive, Asparus' words carried a lot more than just frustration. His confusion is genuine as it is reflected crystal clear trough his trembling gaze. "Can you just ignore everything else and return this… love from them?"

There it was again. Cabba had planned this part of their exchange with most care out of everything else, but Asparus managed to jump ahead of any preparation or small talk leading to this. He knows how delicate this can and will be, and how he should not and cannot lie to his best friend.

So, there is only one thing left for him to do.

"I kissed her." He said firmly, not letting himself to stutter even a letter. "We… I couldn't control myself. The way she looked at me, the way I felt when she embraced me in her warmth… I will understand if you are mad about it, I did something that affects both of us, that affects Kefla most of all. There is no excuse, I am sorry."

As much as he restrained himself from glancing towards his friend before, Cabba couldn't stand still and lock his gaze onto the subtle haze descending on them. His eyes traveled to Asparus' face, he studied his friend the best he could, he tried to gauge the reaction he would get from this revelation.

But he only saw a blank mood in his friend's eyes, a neutral expression giving nothing away past the heavy silence that befell both of them at the moment Caba stopped speaking.

He watched in respectful quietness as Asparus twitched slightly as a droplet of rain touched his face, drawing a wet line across his scarred cheek.

"Asparus, please say something." Cabba tried to break the wall starting to form between them. "Seriously, man. Just yell at me, punch me in the face. You're scaring the shit out of me with this silence."

"She is gorgeous, isn't she?" Instead of lashing out in any way as Cabba predicted he would, Asparus just turned his head towards him with a short grin to spare. "I've never seen… a woman as beautiful as her. By the gods, I almost melted from those big black eyes staring at me."

One playful but agreeing grunt escaped Sadala's hero. "That she is." Cabba nodded patiently, his mind wandering to the moment where he held Kefla close in his arms. "Is this wrong? To be drawn towards Kefla this much? Wanting her somewhat as much as I want Caulifla?" He asked Asparus as much as he asked himself.

"Hell if I know." His friend shrugged. "You're the one with the kissing lips."

Cabba winced at the accusation but quickly eased up after seeing the jesting smirk Asparus is giving him. "I am sure… you would be tempted to do the same if you stood in my position."

"If I ever feel this temptation, I have one free-kiss pass to enjoy. Seeing as you went out of your way to make a debt towards me." He crossed his arms against his chest and snorted a bit louder than normal. "Lucky me, I guess."

"What a mess…"

After one more moment of awkward silence, both friends began to laugh as cheerfully as they could, exchanging a genuine moment of friendly banter with one another. Cabba, being the one with the gaze pointed towards the cave, noticed two silhouettes peeking out from the entrance. As troublesome as it is for those two to be eavesdropping a private chat, he decided to ignore them and just let his voice out even more.

"Asparus, there is something else I want to talk with you about." Cabba wore a serious face yet again, this subtle change making his friend quirk an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I am sure nothing can beat you kissing the woman that also counts as my wife." Asparus joked again, managing to squeeze in another jab at his friend before he could get serious himself. "Shoot it. What you want?"

"You are dying." The statement came as a full direct him, no roundabouts or sugaring it first. "To put it right, you are killing yourself. You know this, don't you?"

Cabba could swear that he saw Asparus' lips twitch more than twice after he heard that. However, as soon as that tempestuous reaction came it also died away, replaced by an innocent-confusion.

"What?" Asparus gave him a funny look. "Where did this nonsense came from?"

"Tibby can read energy flows, and not like the way we can feel ki of living beings. She can truly read and understand every type of spiritual things." Cabba began talking again, turning completely to face Asparus, studying closely every reaction he would get from him. "She told me that the 'glow' inside of you is killing you. In her little clumsy way, she explained how this strange power inside of you, is tearing your body apart."

Once more Cabba caught the slightest of shifts on his friend's expression, a faint flash of a new emotion coming to him right as it disappeared completely.

"She's wrong." Said the young king.

"I don't think so. I also noticed those small changes happening with you; your odd moods, the way you fight, how bestial you are starting to get any time that silver light gets involved." Cabba pressed forward in the issue, not letting the deep frown on his friend's expression push him away. "Why are you lying?"

A new change came to Asparus's form, this one not subtle and even less fleeting. He is clenching his fits tightly, his passive gaze twisting into a burning glare as he looked away to the side and groaned. "I am not lying, Cabba. There is nothing wrong with me. She must have read, whatever she thought she read, wrong."

"I will bring this up to Kefla." Cabba warned.

"Drop it." Asparus warned even fiercer with a dangerous snarl.

"Why are you lying?!" Cabba raised his voice this time, matching the same intensity coming from the young king. "Just now you were talking about Kale, your baby, and how you worry about them. Now you're just pretending ignorance about something as fucking serious as this?"

The earth beneath them trembled as Asparus stomped forward, again his ki exploded around him in a violent aura of silver light. "I SAID TO FUCKING DROP IT!" His roar traveled throughout the entire summit of the giant mountain, the ashen snow threatening to slide down from the echoes of his voice.

"What is wrong with you?" Being under those heated eyes pushed Cabba to respond equally, making him step forward and stand face to face against his friend.

"Stop patronizing me, soldier. I am not killing myself and if I say that nothing is wrong you should take my word for it, instead of clinging to the words of someone you met a few days ago."

Cabba gritted his teeth as he felt a strong grip latch on his shirt, pulling him upwards against his will. "Yeah, very compelling points. Coming from someone that is losing control after trading a dozen words." Pointing down with his gaze, Cabba guided Asparus's eyed towards the hand strangling his shirt so violently.

Asparus froze at the realization that he was taking his friend with such a violent grip. For his word, he can't attest to ordering his arms to go forward or even having the thought of taking such a drastic approach. Yet his body moved on its own, fueled by the unwelcomed rage burning inside of him.

Taking in shock how he acted unconsciously, Asparus released his hold on his friend shirt. Glancing from one side to the other, he averted his gaze away from Cabba's stern frown, shame taking the space where the rage was filling before.

Cabba held his stance and expression until his friend turned away, avoiding his eyes completely. Only then, the Saiyan soldier let his expression take the form of empathy; sympathy for the silence struggle his king, and friend, is suffering from.

"Asparus…" Cabba called out to him as Asparus began to walk away, stepping aimlessly towards the edge on the opposite side leading away from the cave. "I am just worried about you. And Kale would be too."

At the mention of his wife's name, the Saiyan king stopped. His steps halted, yet he refused to turn and look back. "Please… just drop it." Looking for solace in solitude, Asparus took refuge in a quiet corner at the side of the risk path available at this side of the mountain. Having the now falling snow as his immediate company, he adjusted himself enough to not be at the danger of slipping to a nasty fall while resting his right side against the cold wall grazing at his skin.

If his last request was not enough of a hint for the end of the conversation, the way he sat quietly by himself tipped Cabba enough for the Saiyan soldier to turn and leave his friend alone.

As he stepped over towards the cave, he stopped to acknowledge the two figures poorly hiding behind the edges of the small entrance. "Ladies should not eavesdrop on people's private conversation." He declared to the two shadowy silhouettes, to which the bigger one twitched and jumped at his words.

"How can I not try to pry when you two just start to shout like that." Kefla tried to defend her actions which had little effect as Cabba noticed her far before he and Asparus had started arguing a bit more loudly.

While he can find a strange joy in flustering his wife or the fused woman that is part his mate, Cabba conceded to his weariness. "You should talk with him. If his friend couldn't get through that thick skull of his, I hope his wife can."

"When you said that he is dying… is that true?" Kefla asked him with a curious and solemn voice. "What are you hiding from me, Cabba?"

He sighed deeply. He could tell her, explain the little he knows about this and push Kale—Kefla into a fit. But be as a selfish desire to punish Asparus even if a little or by his own cowardice, Cabba pushed the truth deep down his throat. "You should talk with him." He repeated the same words from before.

Kefla's gaze drifted from Cabba to Asparus, a coat of uneasiness descending upon her heart at the scene of one of her mates sitting so sadly by himself.

Cabba, who started to step towards the cave yet again, stopped by the entrance right at Kefla's side and sighed again; this time gracing her with a caring smile. "Tell that dumbass that he should use his free pass. Or better yet, force him to use it."

"Free pass?" She repeated his suggestion in the form of a question.

But it went without a reply as Cabba casually chuckled at her lost for words and just stepped inside properly, searching for any bit of rest his recovering body could find.

Having another reason to be confused, Kefla decided that standing in front of the cave, under the increasingly cold weather, would do her no good. Dusting her neat clothes with a quick flap of her hands, she mustered the courage to face Asparus again. And this time he will get the full extent of Kefla, not just the shy and preoccupied side of his wife Kale, but also the bluntness that only Caulifla can muster.

Oblivious to his peril, the young king will be poorly equipped to deal with the most determined and strong-willed Saiyan woman in existence.

* * *

"I thought the little mountain monkey was afraid of the snow."

Too immersed into his thoughts, the young Saiyan king jumped panicky as Kefla's voice sounded from behind him.

Seeing her love reacting to her words, prompted Kefla to continue with the little saying. "Should the little mountain monkey step too close to the ledge…" She floated the words expectantly, giving her mate a silent pause for him to take over.

"He will surely fall into the spider's pit." A gentle smile crossed his lips. It is hard to ignore or even act coldly towards Kefla when she approaches him with something so intimate as this

This little exchange they had is a little excerpt from the fairytale book 'The Snowfall Ballad'. It is a story that Asparus heard ever since he was a kid when his mother read the book for him to fall asleep. Then when Kale admitted that she never had something like that in her childhood, He made sure to rectify this mistake from life.

From the start of that summer, the newly crowned Saiyan king held his queen closely at every night. With his dear wife in his arms, he read the book and shared with her the story that once was only his.

"It's not fair… I should be mad at you." He sighed in exasperation, keeping his gaze at the falling snow in front of him.

Squeezing in next to him, Kefla sat by his side with a satisfied grin on her lips. "I don't want you to stay mad at me."

Employing the infallible tactic of pulling from his heartstrings, Kefla made the perfect opening to their conversation. However, despite the calm look on her husband's face, Asparus remained in silence for some long few minutes. His gaze focused and determined, but without purpose, just watching the soft haze dancing in front of him.

"I don't need to ask it, do I?" Kefla said firmly. "Asparus, just share it with me."

"I am not killing myself." He replied sourly but promptly. "Do you really find me ignorant enough to burn myself into ashes?" His gloom onyx-colored eyes shifted towards her, his gaze waiting for an answer.

"No, I don't." Her response brought a satisfied but short smile to his lips, which only endured until she continued. "But I also know that Cabba is not someone to exaggerate things. He would never accuse you of that without being certain of it." Taking his hand onto hers, Kefla pressed a firm but careful hold onto him. "Look at me in the eyes and say that he is wrong." More than her words, her eyes dared him to it. "Stare at my eyes and tell me that you are fine."

Biting his lower lip in frustration, a frustration that he desperately tried to hide but failed spectacularly at it, Asparus moved his gaze away from hers. "Pains me to see that you don't trust me, Kale."

"It hurts me more, that you're lying to me." She rebuked firmly, this time squeezing painfully at his hand. "One more time… I will give you another chance." Her stern words forced his eyes back to her. "If you don't tell me what you are hiding, I will get up and leave you here." It went without saying but the way she looked at him explicitly stated what that entailed.

Asparus reacted just as Kefla predicted he would. First, he threw her a frown of indignation, then he snorted as he glanced to the side to show his disbelief. But in the end, the young king deflated into a sad look of loneliness.

His every day is guided by the thought of making a better world, a better universe to his queen, and love. If she decides to push him away from her; if his efforts only managed to drive her away from him… Even the thought pains him profoundly.

"I…" He started, leaning downwards to hid his eyes from her searching gaze. "Can't control my ki anymore." Swallowing hard, Asparus almost broke down into a spiral of insane thoughts. Putting this reality into words only forced him to acknowledge what he has been denying for so long. "Is nothing like when I first learned about it. I can shape it at will, I can wield this power with a mastery that I never could before. However, the more I draw strength from it, the more my mind slips away."

Kefla studied him calmly, at least in the exterior as her heart was racing faster than a falling star coming from the sky. "The blackouts? Why do you faint after using your ki now?"

"I don't really know. It just drains me too much to keep those thoughts away from my mind." His shoulders deflated more, his hand unconsciously pressed harder on its hold at Kefla's hand, looking for an anchor to make him feel safe. "When I am fighting… the feeling of breaking my enemies. The blood boiling pleasure that chains me when I slash and hack things away, by the gods, it feels so natural and good. It terrifies me."

"Is it really that bad?" Kefla asked genuinely. "I mean, is in our blood, right? Saiyans love to fight, we love to clash against strong foes, to beat them utterly with our strength."

He shook his head fast, left and right, taking in denial at every swing. "It's not the thrill of battle. This… thing inside of me, it hungers for blood, for death. Is not enjoinment from trading blows in a duel, is a tainted pleasure for destruction." Finally, Asparus brought his gaze back to her, his eyes trembling in fear, his breathing erratic like a kitten in panic. "It is so wrong, so evil. I don't want to feel that way."

Releasing the hold on his hand, Kefla raised her arm and brought Asparus close to her. Resting his face in between her neck and shoulder, grazing her fingers in a comforting touch on his broad back.

"Why did you keep this from me?" She asked in a low but worried tone. "Asparus, why let this secret eat you away in silence?"

He trembled in her arms, feeling the weight of the words that were coming to his mouth. "Because I am ashamed of it. Because I don't want sympathy, I don't want to be a liability. Kale, I just want to stand at your side as an equal. Be someone that you can rely upon." Slowly pulling himself back, Asparus looked up towards her eyes. "Kale, I just want to be your husband."

"I should rely on you but not the other way around?" Her features shifted to a stern frown. "How is that being my equal?"

"Kale… please."

"Stop that!" She raised her voice, more than intended as it echoes bellow then inside the open chasm. "Stop calling me Kale. You and Cabba both need to stop doing that, treating me as Kale or Caulifla." Creating a small distance between them, Kefla moved slightly away from him. "I am myself. Even if I am Caulifla and Kale combined… I am Kefla, too. Stop treating me as a vessel or window to them. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Asparus was taken by surprise by her sudden outbreak. Gawking in a daze, he could just raise a hand towards her in an attempt to comfort the woman at his side.

"It makes me feel like nothing. A thing that is robbing their place." She continued. "I am real too… Just like Caulifla and Kale, I am a real person."

"I… didn't mean to treat you that way." Asparus tried to apologize or at least make sense of what he could. "Calling you Kale is easier for me." He saw the glare she gave him to which he raised a hand in reassurance. "Sorry if that was insensible of me. But when we talk so closely like this, sharing so much with each other… I just wanted to ignore that half of you hate me so much."

"Hah?" Kefla's saddened outlook broke away and changed to a look of disgruntlement. "Are you stupid?! From where did you get that I hate you?"

"Caulifla certainly does." Crossing his arms, Asparus is now the one looking affronted. "The woman can't spend a day without reminding me how much she hates me."

"Having half of what makes me as Caulifla's personality, I am perfectly versed to attest contrary to that!" Kefla replied with an agitated tone, her hands flying up in front of her in an attempt to explain what her words are clearing not being able to do. "Do you know how much, I… she… we! How much we teased and pushed Cabba around before things turned out more 'normal' and romantic?"

This is new for Asparus. Ever since his first encounter with Cabba and his crazy girlfriend from back in the day, he always saw those two entangled at each other, barely keeping their private love life between close walls. Now he imagines Caulifla going around and calling Cabba names just to mess with him, much like she does with him.

"Wait, what?" He pushed back towards the mountain wall at his right side. "There is no way that… are you saying that she likes me?"

"Of course, stupid. Caulifla would never waste the time of her day to tease someone she hates… ignoring or punching is what she does to people she hates." Watching the dumbfound look at his face made Kefla laugh. The concept of being friendly and normal with Caulifla felt so alien to Asparus that he broke after finding the truth. "There is not part of me that hates you, Asparus." She moved closer to him again, smiling softly as she approached her confused mate. "And listen carefully to this. I, Kefla, love you. I am not speaking as Kale or Caulifla, this is one hundred percent Kefla. I adore you, my dummy king."

Getting back to his senses, Asparus felt the prickling sensation of the cold weather melt away from his skin as Kefla sat on his lap, adjusting her arms around his back as she embraced him as closely as she could.

Taking in her sweet scent and soft touch, Asparus sighed in contentment. However, despite how pleasing it feels to be like this with her, he cannot help but held a conflicted expression in his face.

Sighing deeply, he looked down at her. "Do you know how complicated everything gets now?" Asparus said calmly despite the nervous edge trailing at the tip of his tongue. "That confession you just made paired with the wish of being treated only as Kefla. Can you imagine the stream of problems that can bring?"

"Don't know, don't care. Until now, I only had a few glimpses of having a life with you and Cabba." She pressed herself closer to him, looking for the soothing sensation of his firm chest against her breasts. "Whenever I managed to hold you two and find myself in bliss, everything quickly came to an end. Now? We can talk, we can sit close together, I can be here without the fear of losing all in the next moment." Taking her mate by surprise yet again, Kefla brought her big eyes back to his gaze, inviting him to look directly at her heart. "So, yeah. I don't care about the problems. I love you; I love Cabba. That is all that matters to me."

Any hesitation, every concern he had about holding this person so close to him, vanished against the overwhelming wish to protect and reciprocate the words of love she gave him. To say that Asparus is thinking straight about this issue would be a lie, it is impossible for him to even think period with her so close to him.

Yet, hearing about her fears, the possibility of ceasing to exist in the split of a moment. How in the world could he do anything but want to love her back?

"Did you and Cabba talk about this?" He asked quietly, in hopes of distracting himself from doing what he knows he shouldn't.

"Barely. We… had a bit of an argument when he tried to keep your secret from me." She remembered about the night of few words spoken between her and her other sweetheart, but a silly smile hugged her lips when she remembered how they slept in each other's arms. "Oh! That reminds me of something that Cabba said just now. What is this free pass thing? He urged me to force you into it, but I have no clue about it."

"A free-kiss pass." Asparus said in the shadow of a chuckle. "Something about you two kissing when I was sleeping."

"Then you can kiss me one time too?" Kefla asked with a hint of playful curiosity. Taking his contemplative silence as a positive reply, the mischievous Saiyan woman wasted no time to redeem that one-time-only ticket. Moving calmly in her way up, she pressed her lips against his, forcing his back furthermore against the wall as she explored the tenderness of this kiss with delightful care.

It took them a while to finally broke away their kiss, it was involuntary but also an action made by both of them. Each holding a smile on their lips, they just stared at each other, still enjoying the sensation of having shared something so special.

Kefla giggled suddenly, having in her face the look of someone that is plotting something. "I wonder…" She started. "What would happen if I kissed you again. That gives Cabba a spare free-kiss pass for the next time?"

What else could Asparus do but snort and surrender to her antics? At the moment he accepted her words and her touch, he forfeited the option of questioning this woman too much. "You really are troublesome, aren't you?"

"Hah, you have no idea." Attacking while the 'wound' is still fresh, Kefla leaned over to him again and planted her lips on his once more. "But you love me anyway."

Difficult to argue with her logic, when his arms are wrapping around her like that. But as much as Asparus has conceded to this amazing array of emotions he feels around this woman, his mind is not oblivious to the numerous complications creating themselves in his life at this exact moment.

However, to dwell in them is an exercise made in futility. He wants her in his life and in his arms; damn the world if he would ever push Kefla away. So, instead of focusing on the gravity of his possible mistake, Asparus has another problem coming to his mind.

This free pass system is doomed to fail from the start and it hasn't even been a day for him. With Kefla plating one kiss after another on his lips, they will have to find another solution for this. At this point, Asparus can only hope that they can find normality in their life after all this.

* * *

**\- Chapter End -**

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

VcArchangel chapter 14 . May 22 – Hey, thanks for the review.

Like in the previous chapter and this one, I wanted to give this story a different tone and pacing. To explore a bit more about these characters now that they have started a life together and a family, and more importantly how all of that will hold on when Kefla is introduced as a "rival?" to Caulifla and Kale. All that while not just turning this into a Kefla's Harem altogether without any repercussion or consequences.

I hope this is not too confusing, as it will work better when fleshed out in chapter, rather than a short synopsis of what it is to come.


	16. Chapter 16 - Made of Light

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

_**AN: **I am so sorry for the delay on the update of this chapter... As some of you may know, Nintendo just released the "new" Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition and my productivity as a human being became zero. I love this game so so very much and to get the chance to play it again... I just lost myself in it a bit. My bad._

_Well without further ado, here is the chapter._

* * *

**\- Chapter 16 -**

* * *

"Tibby, now that my mind has calmed down a little from all this mess, there is this thing that is bugging the hell out of me." Kefla spelled out the ever-increasing jab of curiosity that is nagging at her mind for hours "Why are you living in this dark cave all by yourself? I saw a bunch of houses and villages coming over here, you guys clearly don't take a fancy to damp holes and whatnot."

From two opposite corners of the small hideout, the other Saiyans present quietly drifted their eyes and attention to the small Tatabi sitting in the middle, this question flared up a subtle curiosity that they both had for quite some time too.

"Cave is not mine!" Tibby practically yelled the words out, her glowing eyes flickering in a sudden embarrassment. "My home is on the other side of the Cold-blue Valley…" She went silent for a moment, her round head hanging downwards in a saddened manner. "My home was close to the temple… I think neither of them exists anymore."

A cold edge dawned at the air inside the cave, both Saiyan males scowling angrily at the revelation but keeping their anger in their core as any trained soldier would do. Kefla on the other hand did little to hide the boiling rage exploding out from her chest.

"Why would anyone attack a planet like this?!" She roared in indignation. "I don't mean this in a bad way, but I have yet to see anything of value coming from you guys. Weird houses and an even weirder planet are all that I saw since landing here."

"That is true." Cabba spoke out. "Aside from the landmass itself, I have yet to see anything of true value to any criminal, especially ones with this advanced technology."

Turning her glowing gaze to the kind-looking man to her right, Tibby began to play with her small hands as she tried to answer him. "Tatabi… my people… We are connected to the planet." She started. "Energy is power, but power is not always strength; that's what we learn growing up. This tale… is forbidden to anyone that is not a Tatabi, even if they are friends."

"Then you have no need to share it with us." Asparus raised his voice, bringing Tibby's yellow eyes towards him. "Even if you can't say what they are after, we will still help you." He clenched his hand into a tight fist, his arm trembling at the motion and strong grip. "There is no place in this universe for tyrants and despots."

Taken back by the Sparkly one's bold claim, Tibby glanced back to Cabba and Caulifla seeking confirmation. Both of them nodded to her, sharing the same determined glint in their eyes as their king.

"Thank you…" Tibby replied meekly. "Friends don't need to face danger for me, but they choose to face it anyway… Thank you."

"That's a given!" Kefla said in her boisterous voice, booming in a powerful echo inside the small cave. "Thinking about it, why the hell are we still hiding in here?!" She threw a direct stare towards Cabba, taking extra care to evade Asparus' gaze while doing it. "I fought a few of them already. Those guys are a joke! We can wipe the floor with all of them in a matter of seconds."

"You certainly can." Cabba said with a chuckle. Holding his right hand in front of him, he studied his limb with a watchful gaze, waiting to see if it would tremble at the mere act of standing up again. Seeing the unwavering stance of his arm brought a short but sincere smile to his lips. "Four days is enough of rest I guess."

"Hell yeah! Enough sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves." Punching the air in front of her, Kefla promptly jumped a few paces ahead, landing very close to the open exit. "These freaks will know what happens when you mess around with Saiyans!"

Playfully shaking his head Cabba calmly stepped after Kefla, taking both arms to the back of his head as he walked. "Kefla… just don't get too carried away. We are meant to save the planet, not blast it to pieces."

Turning in a swift spin, she graced him with a wide and toothy grin. "I can promise to be careful with this purple rock, but the carried away part not so much."

The young couple shared a playful laugh between each other, both turning towards the exit before taking any further step.

"Is it me or are you two trying to avoid me on purpose?" Asparus spoke sternly and calmly, yet his words carried a certain edge to them that made the other two flinch and freeze.

Sharing a troubled gaze between them, Cabba and Kefla slowly turned towards Asparus. Both of them shared a quiet talk hours before about their plan, which of course was a no secret to Asparus as every Saiyan has an enhanced hearing, a trait that made him a silent bystander to their little secret.

Choosing to take the brunt of his reaction, Kefla stepped forward and spoken first. "Asparus, you should stay back and hide with Tibby." The moment the words flew from her mouth, Kefla saw the pretty face that she loves so much, twist and turn into a powerful scowl. "Cabba and I agree that this is the best thing for now."

"Funny thing this consensus of yours. I, for a chance, strongly disagree with that opinion." Casually pushing himself up, Asparus stepped forward just enough to stand in front of them.

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Cabba approached his friend and brought a hand to Asparus' left shoulder. "As Kefla said, this will be a walk in the park. Even if I could have any trouble against these guys, she is stronger than both of us. Having you out there would only create an unnecessary liability."

"LIABILITY?!" The young king's voice stormed around the cave; his words roared so loudly that Tibby had to push her hands to her head to withstand the pressure coming from it. "Cabba… I am growing really tired of you and this stupid idea you've put in your head. As a king, as a goddamned Saiyan warrior, I will not let my wife go out there while I-"

A burst of green and red energy exploded from behind Cabba, this powerful ki wave bashed against Asparus head-on, pushing and shoving the young king inside the walls, making a stony bed for him to lay on.

Still holding the firing hand up, Kefla winced after seeing the damage that her attack did to the cave. As for the victim of her attack himself, he is buried way too deep inside the wall for her to see anything.

"Let's get out of here before he gets free." She ordered in a commanding voice, giving Cabba little time to comply before she left the cave herself.

Staring mouth-open as Kefla marched outside, Cabba spared Tibby a sorry look and then a short glance towards the hole where his friend is stuck inside. "Well, there goes any chances of Asparus taking this easy. Why I am the only one normal on this team?" Dreading his sorrowful fate of always being in charge of the stability of his surroundings, Cabba excused himself out of the hideout all the while shaking his head in dismay.

He knows his friend way too well to know that this little stunt will have consequences. Now there is only hoping that his hot-headed friend will take it out on Kefla, rather than using him as a punchbag.

* * *

"So… Any ideas on how we go about this?" Cabba's voice echoed within the gushing stream of air passing by him. Flying at full speed, both Saiyan warriors are like two glowing lights parting the clouds away.

Snorting at the question, Kefla just raised her hand and pointed at the horde of spaceships darkening the sky. "We blast everything away until there is nothing left." She proudly declared the failproof plan.

"As much as I like that plan, we will be drained out of ki far before we get half of them." Cabba's response made her glance at him with an annoyed frown. "Remember that I fought them before. The last time we barely made it out alive, I was at the last bit of my energies when Asparus appeared." Shifting his arm to the side, he pointed towards the belly of one of the larger ships. "Look, those things over there will suck your ki away regardless of how powerful you are."

Staring firmly towards the massive ship, Kefla keeps flying in the silence of contemplation. Her head mulling over the details of what Cabba just said. "Couldn't we just fly above those things to avoid whatever pull it has over our ki?" She asked genuinely, her gaze slowly drifting back to a speechless Cabba.

"OF COURSE!" He surprised her with a sudden yell. "I am so stupid. Why wouldn't I even think about this possibility!? You're a genius, Kefla."

Giggling at the compliment, Kefla just shook her head at the silliness of her partner and quickly ascended far right up in the sky. Breaching through the larger clouds, she pierced into the veil of space where only the stars stand above.

With a glance behind her, she noticed Cabba poking out from the clouds, stopping beside her with a resolute look in his eyes. "Any difference?" She asked.

"Yeah… my body already feels much lighter than before." Cracking his knuckles, the young Saiyan hero casually floated in front of her, his sight locked into the stream of ships hovering above the planet just below them. "Wanna race on who can destroy more of those ships?"

If Kefla was more than ready to deal with this invasion before, his little invitation just pushed her to the extreme. Taking much from Caulifla's drive to be better and stronger than everyone else, Kefla bounced left and right at the challenge proposed to her.

"I won't even ask for a reward right now." She said with a mischievous grin. "Just think of something really nice when I completely destroy you in this race!"

Using her own words as the starting whistle, Kefla plunged herself down in a stream of light. If the invaders' space ship have any type of sensor to detect aggressors, they didn't have a sliver of a moment to spot the shining Saiyan before she collapsed on top of the biggest ship she could find around her.

Following the wake of destruction brought by her attack on one of the vessels, Kefla quickly began to jump from spacecraft to spacecraft, demolishing everything in her path with the power and destructive grace that only she possesses.

Somewhat starstruck by the sheer ferocity displayed by her, Cabba shrugged and chuckled at small naivety of challenging someone that has so much of Caulifla in her. "Saiyan girls… what else did I expect?"

Leaving Kefla to her own in that unstoppable onslaught she is dishing out, Cabba brought his attention to the hazy cloud of moving dots moving at a fast speed towards them. Surely, they would send that infernal horde of machines on their way as the Saiyan duo started to strike back, that much is expected.

However, this time will be a much more different tale.

"Last time you overwhelmed me with just numbers…" Releasing his power in the shape of a golden aura, Cabba hastily ascended to the Super Saiyan form, his green eyes locked at the flying metallic hive coming towards him. "Let's see if you can do the same without my ki getting drained away!"

Bursting forward in a stream of golden light, the young soldier clashed head-first against the wave of enemies flying his way. Having learned to spare not a single thought of mercy towards these soulless machines, Cabba started this battle unleashing his full power right from the get-go.

* * *

Having a few bruises and mostly dirt staining his clothes, Asparus is standing in front of the cave with his onyx-eyes fixated at the explosive light show occurring far right up in the sky. Right after he clawed his way out of that hole, that his oh so beloved wife plunged him into, the fuming king wanted nothing more than to explode his ki out and fly right after the other two.

But one glance at the trembling little Tatabi standing at his side was enough to quell his anger and keep him from blasting out towards the sky. Now watching the dark sky flashing with countless new lights with Tibby at his side, Asparus is just focused on the job presented to him; stand behind and do nothing.

Standing tall and firm on his spot, Asparus glances from one part of the sky to the other, his eyes following an invisible line that deeply confounds the small alien girl standing next to him.

"S-Sparkly… Asparus." Tibby corrected herself swiftly before her tall friend could grunt in annoyance from being called a weird name again. "Why are you looking from left to right? There is nothing there."

"Huh?" He looked down at the round little creature at his side, a bit lost after her question. "I am watching Kefla destroy those ships in the sky." He pointed right towards a bright explosion that just came to life.

Tibby glanced towards the bright spot far far away from them, small noises of awe escaping her at the moment. "Kefla is punishing bad people?" She asked with a chirpy voice. "How can you tell? That is so far from here."

"We Saiyans have very good sight and hearing, but mostly my eyes are used to battles and the entire scope of battlefields." Seeing the small Tatabi nod in understanding, pushed Asparus to pat her on her head. "If you train hard enough, you would be able to see things a bit farther away just like I do."

Tibby's foggy features changed up in a manner that could be identified as beaming of happiness. "You promise?" Unable to keep her excitement within herself, the small Tatabi began to bounce around Asparus like an energetic ball. "Training, training, and training! Every day until I become strong like you!"

"A longshot goal you got there, but as long you give your best there is always hope." Asparus as a king always tries to portray himself as a serious and reliable person to everyone that is a stranger to him. But faced with the chirping giggles coming from his little friend so excited just from a few words, it is impossible to hold a giant smile from appearing on his lips.

"Even if it is a little, hope is all that one needs." Tibby replied with a glowing eye-smiles.

Exchanging a few words with Tibby is enough to make one entranced with her quirky mannerism and easygoing personality. A person interesting enough to even pull Asparus away from his silent angry rant about being left behind as his companions flew into battle.

However, as is the fate of someone so intertwine with chaos and changes, their little calm reprise came to an end in the most violent and harmful way possible at the circumstances.

Out of nowhere, Tibby came crashing down to the ground with her face twisting in a suffocating pain. Just a moment ago she was happily giggling and smiling to her new friend, now is like the air is getting sucked out from her lungs. Her once bright glowing eyes are now flickering with a sickened gloom, the very essence of life slipping away from the small Tatabi in pain.

"Tibby? Oi?! What is wrong?" Diving down to one knee, Asparus hastily took the small alien girl in his arms, holstering her head in a firm stance to look directly at him. "Can you hear me? Tibby!"

"N-No... T-they found it!" With quivering arms, Tibby raised her hands in the air, trying to grasp an invisible object that only her eyes could see. "Aaaggh! No! No!" She gasped and cried loudly in pain, her eyes getting duller and practically lifeless.

As Asparus was ready to shout her name again, the planet itself raged in pain. The earth trembled in fury; the sky wavered in a burst of colors as a massive torrent of purple light exploded from somewhere far away from this mountain.

Mesmerized by the terrifying and yet beautiful beacon of light, Asparus found himself frozen in his actions. Even to someone that can warp across the universe, the sight in front of him was simply way too much for his mortal and yet young mind.

"F-Friend… S-Sparkly one…" In a way lower and weaker voice than she has ever mustered, Tibby brought her gaze towards Asparus, her small hand wavering in front of him. "Please… stop them. They can't… I beg of you… don't let them kill everything."

With the last word coming out from her mouth, Tibby's trembling arm began to fall to the side but Asparus reached out and grabbed her hand before it could touch the ground. Having a large lump stuck in his throat, he winced after noticing how dull her eyes look. His first instinct is to bring his other hand to her round belly, dreading the worst as she laid in front of him motionless.

But after getting a faint but very much alive beat coming from within the Tatabi, Asparus felt his airpipe clear away from the anxiety eating him from inside. Tibby is alive, that much he can tell. Yet what happened to her, what in the world could drive his small friend to such state, that is far beyond his understanding.

Taking Tibby in his arms, the young Saiyan king brought her inside the small hideout again. Placing the unconscious Tatabi on a safe corner within that cave, he walked back outside and was met by the same column of purple light reaching out as high as it could go.

"Is that what these invaders are after?" Asparus asked himself with a loud voice. Giving the dark entrance of the cave a short glance, he saw the painful and desperate way Tibby looked at him, how she begged him to save… everything. "There is no place in this universe to people doing such evil."

From the lower corner of his eyes, a glint of silver captured his attention. In his hands, the Omega Blade began to resonate with the deep anger burning in his chest. Even within its sheath, the sword is shining brighter than any light ever could.

"What good is a weapon that cannot be used?" He spoke bravely, a glint of pure determination flashing in his black eyes. "Sorry, Kefla… Sorry, Kale. I will not stand aside. As a king, I will put my pride and soul on the line." Taking the handle of his weapon with one hand, Asparus pulled the blade out from its sheath, revealing its shining surface in all its glory. "That stream of light, I will quell its flame!"

Enveloped by his surging silver ki, Asparus flickered in a blur. One moment he was standing in front of the cave on top of the frozen mountain, then he was gone.

* * *

Carnage and destruction were never the way that Cabba followed. Most of his peers share the same view of battle that he has, there is no reason for thoughtless violence. However, being surrounded by a sea of floating junk and metal scraps has a strange and exciting effect on his thoughts. Maybe the idea of treating these robots as nothing more as evil weapons that need to be destroyed is pushing him into this line of thinking, but Cabba is finding himself rejoicing the destruction he is bringing upon these things.

At the freedom brought by the open space around him, he is fighting with much more drive than he has ever mustered since his battle against Freeza. With no consequences to his actions, Cabba is simply unleashing his power in its raw form, obliterating everything that comes near touching him.

By this point, he has practically single-handed erased the entire army of robots that came flying after them. Seeing the lack of anything coming out from the remaining ships around them, they have probably run out of mechanical menaces to send after the Saiyan duo.

Imagining the people inside those ships panicking over the hopeless situation brings a small grin to his lips.

"C-Cabba?!" Kefla's distressed voice brings him out from his little daydream.

Slightly confused over her odd reaction, Cabba did a mid-turn to glance towards her. His eyes, however, instantly snapped into the image of a massive beacon of light erupting from within the planet.

"What the hell is that?!" He cried out in confusion.

Holding in her hands large chunks of metal that probably belonged to a ship she just destroyed, Kefla looked at Cabba with a terrified look in her eyes. Took little to see what was driving her over that emotional edge. Asparus' name was the first thing that crossed her mind after noticing the gigantic anomaly tearing away on the planet.

"We have to go back!" She said in a heated tone, instantly diving down towards the planet.

Cabba saw her fly at full speed towards a barely visible line that just appeared below them. "Kefla, wait!" His words came out a little too late, as Kefla crashed against a force field engulfing the entirety of the Tatabi world.

Shaking her head to push away the daze of bashing her face against an invisible mirror, Kefla quickly began to pound her fists against it. Each strike sending giants shockwaves across the air around her, but doing little to crack the barrier blocking her.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, STUPID THING!" One punch after the other, she continued banging furiously at the barrier. At each strike she dished out, a massive sound explodes down into the planet as if an endless thunderstorm had begun to assault the sky over the clouds.

Flying over to her, Cabba did his best to pull Kefla away from the barrier, worried that she would hurt herself in this desperate struggle. "Calm down, Kefla! I need you to keep a cool head, we need to solve this smartly."

"But Asparus is down there!" She recoiled his hands away from her, instantly turning to frown at Cabba.

"I know that. But he will have to handle this on his own for now." As harsh as his words sounded, Cabba is just as worried as her about his friend. Taking his gaze down to the surface of the planet, he frowned and clenched his fists. "We are clearly not getting past this thing. There has to be another way."

Unable to refute his words, Kefla shifted her attention and anger at the most proximate and realistic target. Her gaze burned firmly on the sight of the remaining fleet in front of her. "If this barrier is their doing… I swear that I will burn every single one of those flying junks out of the sky!"

Blasting away in a stream of green and red light, Kefla resumed her assault on the enemy's ships with twice the effort she was putting before. Cabba felt torn between jumping in to help Kefla keep her mind focused or turning around to try to sneak inside this barrier himself.

He has chosen the only real option he had, summoning his ki in a large aura around him and joined Kefla in the destruction of the enemy fleet.

* * *

"Get back, this is the last time I'm warning you!" A distressed voice boomed in panic, startling everyone around it. The owner of such an agitated reaction, a man made of metal as much as he made of flesh.

Standing in the outer circles of a small special army, this cyborg was the first one to lay eyes on the strange man that so silently landed behind them. Normally being the one scaring people with his looks alone, this soldier felt an instant dread when his gaze settled upon the shining sword resting on the stranger's hand.

"You cretin, I warned you!" The soldier's uneasiness spiking to its maximum as his threatening words made little to stop the stranger's slow advance. Reading the large energy cannon in his arms, the cyborg fired his weapon without even aiming, a desperate move to try and stop this invader at any cost.

The energy blast flying from the cannon passed through nothing as the man vanished before it could reach close to him. A blur of silver coming to life, bashing the cyborg in with a thunderous strike that sent the man flying to the other side of the desolated village.

"W-What? The hell is happening here?!" A second voice echoed in the air, this time every other soldier turning to look at the commotion getting a view of the invader amongst their ranks.

"Protocol Alpha! This is a Protocol Alpha! Circle the target and neutralize him, we can't let anything touch master Yagura!" A choir of voices repeated the same line, spreading to each soldier an absolute command in an urgency that pushed them all to turn and face their target with weapons ready.

Standing still with such cold nerves that scared even him, Asparus watched as two circles of alien soldiers gathered around him. Slowly sliding his gaze across the groups standing in his way, he studied every single one of them with a terrifying glare.

"Yagura… that's your boss?" He shared the question to the men around him, his tone alone making some of them jump. "Show me where he is before you do something you might regret."

"As if you could order us around!" Snarled one of the black-clad soldiers. Growling loudly to muster his courage, the man sprinted forward with a strange weapon made of energy. But as brave as his foolish display was, not one of his peers moved together with him.

Asparus watched the first three steps that the soldier took towards him, then his vision became blurred for a moment and his body seemed to move at its own. A disgusting sound of flesh ripping and blood spraying in the air exploded out, the Omega Blade pierced through the man's torso with merciless brutality, ripping him into a lifeless corpse in a mere moment.

Then the blur disappeared, Asparus jerked his head back as reality came back to what it was. The man, still alive and breathing, is moving towards him with that reckless bravery glued on his face.

At the first moment, Asparus wanted to throw up from the vile taste spreading in his mouth. He felt the grasp of his sanity wavering on him as he relived the memory of killing that man without even controlling himself. However, at the pressure of the moment, he was forced to just focus on fighting his enemies as much as he is fighting the urges trying to take over him.

Moving forward faster than any of the soldiers could see, the young Saiyan king bashed his left fist onto the man's chest, punching the man far away from him. A strike that served not only to defeat that weak foe but also to stop that vision he saw earlier from happening.

The distance sound of their comrade crashing against the ground in the distance worked as the dog whistle that pushed both squads into a frenzy. Those standing in the inner circle charged forward with their melee weapon in hands, hacking and slashing away trying to destroy their target. The ones as the back, trained in countless ways to shoot with perfect precision, unleashed a barrage of energy blasts in the gaps around their allies.

With each missed blade and dodged blast, the soldiers began to grow mesmerized and utterly terrified of this man. Moving effortlessly, his feet danced in between every little space they could find; barely sliding away from the attacks aimed at him all the while making it seems so easy.

This short spectacle, however, lasted only until one of the soldiers in the formation failed to accompany the rest of them. A sliver of an opening, a breach in their assault that allowed Asparus to plant his feet firm into the ground and counterattack the people jumping at him.

From the viewpoint of the soldiers standing at the back, it looked like a giant standing amongst stuffed toys. As one punch connected into a soldier, that warrior instantly got knocked away from the battle and most likely out of their senses.

One by one, every invading soldier that jumped towards Asparus in that coordinated assault, got blasted away with a single punch. Leaving just the dust and the footprints scattered around the battered ground.

"Your master..." Spinning his sword at his side in a display of mastery over his weapon, the Saiyan king hissed the words in the way that forced the standing soldiers to step back. "Where is he?"

A dry silence was starting to set in, the remaining forces locked in the indecision of engaging any further or taking their chances in a hurried retreat. But once more, an act of fool bravery sprung things into action again.

One blast of energy flew from one of the soldier's weapons, the man glaring at Asparus as he poised his weapon ready to shot again. "Go to hell, you freak!" He spat in a righteous fury, his blood boiling from seeing his comrades get beaten so easily.

Asparus' knees buckled forward for a moment, his vision getting blurred again. Just like before, he saw himself flying forward in a flash, stabbing that loudmouth soldier in his chest, snuffing the flame of life away from him.

Shaking the dizziness away from his head, he pulled his right arm away and pressed the side of his sword against his back. Flying forward like in his vision, Asparus instead pushed his left fist onto the man's face, tackling him in full force into the ground. This act breaking the formation of the second circle, throwing the soldiers that are left in disarray.

It took little time for the battle to resume. Throwing their energy cannons to the side, the soldiers grabbed the blades holstered at their belts and charged onto the Saiyan in all futility. Like the other ones before, they got pushed back and beaten with ease. Only the strange urges threatening Asparus' from the back of his minds turning this into a mildly annoying thing.

As the last man standing got kicked in his sides, sending him flying into the wall of a ruined building, Asparus noticed the origin of the massive beacon of light rising to the sky. His eyebrows twitched after he caught a glimpse of a person standing right in front of that massive beam, back turned to the battle as if the commotion did nothing to disturb him.

Marching resolute towards that person, Asparus growled in frustration. "Where is your—"

"Impressive work you did there." The person cut him before he could finish his question. Turning casually to face the Saiyan, the green-haired man welcomed the interloper with an inviting smile. "Look at you, quite the specimen."

It was hard not to shudder under the gaze of that guy. His eyes, golden in color and sharp in form, are like a bottomless pit draining anyone under its gaze into a mesmerizing trance. From the moment he looked at this ashen-skinned man's face, Asparus knew that he is not a normal person.

Rather thin in his form, dressing in a wacky-colored robe with yellow, blue, and purple all around, this man pushes forward the look of a juvenile and harmless buffoon. But something about him drives Asparus to the edge, forcing the young king to take a defensive stance.

"Kukuku… You are a Saiyan, are you not?" The man tossed one hand to the side as he asked.

Asparus felt a deep instinct trying to hold his tongue inside his mouth, denying an answer. Sadly, his mouth worked faster than his mind on this one. "You're correct. My name is Sadala, I am the Saiyan King."

Instantly those golden eyes of his sparkled with a kind of twisted light that could make the strongest and boldest warriors take a step back. "The Saiyan King, you say?" The green-haired man arched his body slightly forward, his twisted gaze never leaving Asparus even as he giggled behind one hand. "Kukuku… Kukahahahaha! The Saiyan King is the god that we have been after all this time?!" As if he had heard the greatest joke on his life, the man almost went to the ground as he arched forward even more in a fit of laughter.

'What is wrong with this guy?' Forcing his attention back to the more pressuring matter at hand, Asparus glanced behind the man, towards the towering beacon of light. "That thing bolting to the sky. You created it, didn't you? Whatever that is, you will stop it now."

"WHAT?! Stop?" As quickly as he had begun laughing the air out of his lungs, the man stopped and straightened his body, giving the Saiyan in front of him a look of complete disbelief. "Why would I stop it? That is the stupidest idea I heard all night; and to make a comparison, one of the gentlemen you just punched in the head just now, suggested that we should make an army of flying mechanical chickens. Can you imagine it? An army full of nothing but robot chickens."

"By the gods, you are a nutcase or what?" Asparus frowned as the man laughed at the 'compliment'. "This crap you made of light is hurting people, hurting a little friend of mine. You will stop it, even if I have to force your hands."

"Hurting?! Pfha! Are you retarded, mister Saiyan King?" Seeing Asparus' frown deeper brought a grin of satisfaction to the man's lips. "The Tatabi are born from the planet's magic itself. What you think will happen when I start to siphon the planet's energy away? They are not hurting, they are dying."

From all the outcomes Asparus was expecting, an outright confession to something so ridiculous and monstrous was not one of them. But knowing at least the man's intention and most importantly what this beacon of light was doing to Tibby and her people, prompted him to wield his sword ready to strike his foe down.

"A friend begged me to save her life." He said poising himself to charge at the green-haired man. "And I will do it, even if I have to destroy you first!"

For the first time since he started this incursion, Asparus allowed his silver ki to tap into his consciousness. The godly power surrounding him, pushing him to move faster than anything else, turning him into a blur made of silver light.

Attacking without hesitation, he slashed with the full force of his arms towards his enemy. However, his sword only cut into dust and air, as the man vanished faster than even the Omega Blade's warping ability.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… That is not very civilized of you, mister Saiyan King." Standing right behind Asparus, the man waved a finger at him, showing a small grin as the Saiyan turned to look at him. "Before engaging someone in a fight, you should present yourself first!" Bouncing a few steps back, the man dodged another slash coming his way, taking a respectful bow as he got in a safer distance. "My name is Yagura. They refer to me as the leader of the Twin Moons syndicate, but I prefer the term Professor of the Arcane arts."

"Are you really screwed in the head or are you just messing with me?" Asparus growled in his increasing frustration. "I told you my name just now."

"Oh… you did?" Yagura looked at him with genuine confusion, one hand flying to his cheek and all. "But is that really your name, mister Saiyan King?" Then his expression changed into a taunting grin.

"I don't have time for this!" Turning his back to the mentally unstable man, Asparus aimed his weapon to the stream of light coming out from the ground. "Even if I can't hit you, I still can break this thing!"

Where was once an empty spot between the Saiyan and the beacon of light, now stands an outraged Yagura holding both hands up. "Take it easy now, insane Saiyan! Can you imagine the size of the tragedy you are about to commit?" Showing no ki in his actions, Yagura began to float ever so casually towards the beacon, his arms flailing at his sides like a kid going on a vacation. "This power you see in front of you, this is magic energy without equal. As you may have noticed, this planet has a different flow of time. Existing inside the same universe as all the other celestial bodies, this one has a will of its own, moving in a pace that differs from everything else. Have you questioned yourself about it? Why does it work like this?"

"It doesn't matt—"

"IT'S MAGIC, MISTER SAIYAN KING!" Yagura's booming voice overwhelmed Asparus' hesitating one. "Pure, divine, and almighty magic. With this…" Taking his hand towards the surging stream of light in front of him, the unstable wizard began to stroke at its edge, slightly dipping his fingers inside the stream but holding his hands outside of it. "With this kind of power, I can restore order to this universe."

"Order?!" Asparus spat incredulously. "How joining an alliance with a race of evil lunatics and starting a war brings order to the universe?"

Yagura chuckled happily, his golden eyes going down to Asparus. "Kukuku, that's very easy to explain. Our coalition is a necessary evil, mister Saiyan King." Flickering into nothing, he appeared down on the ground again, a few steps away from Asparus. "Imagine this, one day you are achieving unimaginable strides in your pursuit of greatness. The understanding of the fabric of the whole universe at the palm of your hands… glorious wouldn't you say?"

"Crazy man's talk if I ever heard one." Asparus spat back, frowning as the man so casually walked over to him and wrapped one arm around his neck.

"Every genius is crazy, my poor ignorant. Aaaanyway, that doesn't matter now. Going back to my little tale, imagine when you are so close to unlocking so much greatness into existence and then… AN UGLY PIECE OF GODLY PINK FAT APPEARS ON YOUR PLANET AND RUINS EVERYTHING!" His not too stable way of speaking exploded in a full roar of fury, his voice piercing at Asparus' ears in a painful ring. "A creature like that should not exist, mister Saiyan King. A god should not destroy… A god should not stop evolution. Gods should not exist."

"I see… Lord Champa lost his temper and destroyed your planet." Asparus winced at his comment. He too has feared the whims of the God of Destruction, praying that they would be lucky to stay in Champa's good side. "Even if I understand your grief over this, nothing excuses what you are doing here. Nothing can give you permission to destroy an entire planet, to kill everything that lives in it."

"Kukuku… What is a planet in the cosmic scale that holds the entire universe, HUH?" Flickering with a crazed light, Yagura's golden eyes stared a hole into Asparus' figure. "To rid the universe of the depraved existence that are the gods, I would burn even my own kind into ashes. But words are easy to dismiss, mister Saiyan King." Floating above the ground, Yagura began to channel a purple wave of energy around him, the same energy that is flowing out from the planet. "You… are a god. I can see that dirty light inside of you. My woes are nothing but the cry of an insect to a being like you, isn't that right?"

A thunder exploded around him, exactly from around him, not coming from the sky instead forming itself at the air right above the ground.

As Yagura started to glow more and more with that strange light, the world around them began to crack and break like a thin window of glass that got pummeled from the other side. Giant black holes appeared in the area, weirdly consuming the landscape, morphing into the colors, absorbing everything that resembles anything that is not pure darkness.

One gargantuan crack echoed in this space as if the entire window glass shattered into a million pieces leaving only the darkness behind. And in this void, there is only Asparus and Yagura, even the ground that the Saiyan is standing on is invisible to his eyes.

Then, the tempestuous chaos stopped. As the black color swallowed everything, the loud noises stopped and a peaceful quietness came to life. Small little dots of light began to spur into existence, painting a beautiful sight in this dark canvas.

It is surreal, it is beautiful and it is petrifying. Yagura twisted the landscape around them, turning what was the Tatabi planet into the giant void of space, with shining stars and constellations painting all around them.

"Now I will be able to show you what true despair looks like, mister Saiyan King." Yagura taunted from above, floating freely between the countless shining dots surrounding him. "IN HERE, I AM THE GOD!"

* * *

_**Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - An Obstacle in Our Path - watch?v=f7iS7F-jUv8**_

* * *

Took Asparus every bit of concentration he has to keep himself from toppling to the side in a nauseating rush. While his feet in planted on the 'ground', the space around him is traveling at a blinding speed, changing the scenery of constellations dancing in the background.

"Behold the power of the stars!" The words echoed from the ashen-skinned man, this eerie sound taking control of the dark space as a few of the shining dots started to move.

With his sharp senses of a Saiyan warrior, Asparus can perceive the smallest of movements drawing closer to him at all and any battle he has faced before. To say that he has failed to see what came and exploded against his back would be an understatement.

A flash of white light came and was gone before he could glance behind him. A muffled explosion that blasted in the whole of his back, trashing him forward in a violent push.

The explosion didn't harm or hurt Asparus in the least. This lightspeed blast pushed him forward with its sheer force, however, this was the extension of its damage.

"Kukuku… Brilliant!" Yagura began to clap his hands loudly, the sound coming out of this action echoing in an ethereal manner. "Now that I finally claimed the magic of this planet as my own, it wouldn't do if my test subject died from the first attack would it?"

"A power stolen is shallow and meaningless!" Asparus stomped forward, ignoring the growing fear in his mind of getting out of his invisible platform and falling into the dark abyss. "No matter how lost you are in your delusion of power. I WILL STOP Y—"

Asparus' speech got squelched by a destructive shower of falling stars. Falling all on top of each other, these gigantic projectiles piled on him in a relentless assault, pressuring the Saiyan against the invisible floor and this time hurting him so badly to the point of his left arm bending in a way it shouldn't bend.

Yagura waited eagerly with a pointed stared as the cosmic dust began to settle and vanish away, his gaze frenetic in its watch. "Show me, Saiyan!" He barked the words as loudly as he could. "Lay bare to me the unbreakable tenacity that drives so much fear into the Tuffles hearts. Stand up, endure, FIGHT!" His breathing paused for a moment, right as his eyes noticed the small signs of life coming from the dying bright blue fog. "YES! Let me lavish in this power, my precious target dummy."

"Goddamn… lunatic…" Pushing himself up with his right fist, clenching the handle of his sword. Asparus got back on his feet, despite having no blood spots on his body at all, the last strike broke his left arm, bruised some of his muscles internally and ripped almost all of his shirt off from him. "Always attacking from behind… pretending to talk to me only to blow everything at my way when I try to reply…"

"So, what?!" Yagura looked down at Saiyan with a look of disbelief. "You expected me to be bound by a meaningless sense of pride? Want me do go down there and trade a few punches with you, is that it?" His voice stormed the bottomless halls, a burst of twisted laughter that grew louder the more he laughed. "Don't be mistaken, mister Saiyan King. I am no warrior… I am BETTER!"

Swinging his arms in reckless abandon, Yagura hurled star after star towards his victim. The speed of which he commands this strange power is hugely misleading, as the projectile themselves travel across space faster than a blink of an eye.

Chuckling and humming, he brought down the celestial bodies in a chaotic orchestra. Stars flying from everywhere; right, left, up, and down. There is not a fixed pattern to these things and seemingly there is no end to them as well, for each star that comes crashing down, another one quickly takes its place.

Learning the deadly force of this stream of stars, Asparus made his best to evade and dodge nearly every single one of them. A taxing task that is proving to be unpractical and untimely worthless.

For the first few dodges, he had only to take a long step forward and slid away from the field of impact. At the next wave, his steps turned into jumps and at the other one, he had to take massive leaps with the help of his ki to try and get away from the incoming explosions.

Soon dawned on him that the more he moves in this space, the weaker and smaller he feels. As if at each milestone he pushes forward, the more this place fights against him.

"Is that all, mister Saiyan King?" From above echoed the twisted ring of Yagura's taunting voice. "I tire of this chase… Shall I step up to the next level?" His question rhetorical as it could be, as he spared the Saiyan mo time to reply before he brought both hands close to his chest and then pushed them to the side in an explosion of power.

Asparus gasped painfully, his chest tackling against an invisible force, keeping him from going forward. He instantly brought his arms up and raised his gaze to face the avalanche of stars coming for him. His black eyes trembled at the sight, above him only the peaceful dancing of the little shining dots at the end, no sight of the destructive wave that was coming for him.

This, however, was not a sign of reprise.

Arching forward, Asparus felt his stomach twisting in pain, his jaw hanging open as saliva shot right up in the air. Something barreled against his body with a force and power that he has never felt before; his eyes darted down in panic trying to understand what happened, just to find wrinkling spots in his skin.

Like an invisible thunder, another strike came crashing on his chin, sending the Saiyan barreling down half the distance he had raced when fleeing the falling stars.

Asparus held his still functioning arm against his belly, trying to contain the urge to puke. The pain burning at his stomach alone is taking away all the strength out of his legs.

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

Startled by how close Yagura's voice sounded, he shot his gaze right up, his eyes meeting the image of the green-haired man just a few inches away from him.

"I learned a lot from my research, my miserable little friend. Years upon years studying the laws which hold our universe together, grasping for any tool that can be used against the beings that transcend our mortal coil." Watching Asparus writhe in pain, Yagura smiled and casually skipped his way towards the Saiyan, painfully smacking him at the back of the head. "Wanna know what I found?"

He waited a few seconds to see if Asparus would reply, but received only pained groans from the other man. Something that deeply pleased Yagura in his core.

"It takes a god to kill another god." He answered his own question with a giant evil smirk in his lips, a sight so unsettling that would push Asparus to move away from this man if he was not paralyzed in agony. "A shame that this moment is fleeting… You see, this is not the first ancient magic I found. And this is certainly not the first planet I siphoned its energy to achieve this." His borderline maniacal expression suddenly dropped into a saddened state. "All-powerful in a moment and then… poof. All this power gone without a trace. But not everything is bad news, my friend!"

Asparus felt a pull on his chin, a strong grip taking control of his head, forcing him to face up.

"Today you proved me right, mister Saiyan King." Yagura barked with a crazed voice, his golden eyes sparkling brighter than ever before. "I CAN KILL A GOD! Kukuku…KUGAHAHAHA!"

"I… not…" A flow of weak words caught the ashen-skinned man's attention, taking him away from his fit of laughter.

"What was that?" Yagura leaned closer to Asparus, his smirk mocking the man kneeling in front of him. "Care to repeat? I didn't quite catch your words."

Then golden met silver, Yagura's eyes quivered under the blinding light of Asparus' ki.

"I am not a god!" Asparus spat in an angered growl, his body shooting up at a full speed, his blade rising together with him. "And you didn't kill me, bastard." Pushing his arm forward in full thrust, he impaled the Omega Blade deep inside Yagura's chest.

Blue dust sprayed out from the man's back, the sword tearing at his flesh with a menacing hunger. As the base of the blade touched the skin of Yagura's chest, it began to glow with a silver light, taking a life of its own, burning and destroying all that it touched. One piercing beam of light erupted from the weapon, engulfing all of the green-haired man, erasing him in a searing burn.

"No need for pride… right?" Asparus mocked Yagura's own words, letting his right arm fall to the side with a glowing Omega Blade still hot in his hands.

What followed the thunderous awakening of the celestial weapon, is the chilling sound of silence. A powerful and eerie atmosphere that lingered in this place, until an ethereal glint sprung to life.

"By my mother's beard, THAT WAS MARVELOUS!" Yagura's excited voice boomed within the limitless space just before he suddenly reappeared far in the air, where he once was unleashing his falling stars. "You're a sneaking little rat, huh? Kukuku… An energy that powerful would've killed me if I was careless." Seeing the look of distress on the Saiyan's eyes as he looked up made Yagura smirk. "Care to take me for another dance?"

"H-How… How are you still alive?!" Asparus roared into the air, his right arm pointing the sword towards the other man.

"I told you, didn't I? In here, I am the god." Yagura snapped his finger and two mirror images of him appeared at his side. "This little pocket dimension is born and made entirely out of my will. This is my boundless playground and your black cage without windows. Just put this inside your head, mister Saiyan King. When I say jump…" With a swing of his arm, the floating wizard unleashed another invisible assault onto Asparus' body, tackling him far up from the invisible floor into the infinite space. "I make you jump!"

Flickering of lights erupted at every side of this massive black void, dozens of massive celestial bodies moving faster than the sound they make, cruising at this blinding speed towards the center of the battleground.

One giant dark-blue symbol appeared below Asparus, for the first time creating a form to the invisible platform that he was using as ground. As this giant symbol flashed with light, an invisible force pushed the young king down to the shining mark and as his back clashed upon this hard surface, the stream of stars fell upon him in a horrific onslaught.

"And when I say die…" Yagura's shrieking voice exploded in the air, both his arms pushing forward in a harsh and violent movement. The purple glow in his hands slowly faded to nothing and as the last shining dust fell from his fingers, one gargantuan hole appeared above him. "YOU FUCKING DIE!"

From this gaping wormhole came one of the same stars Yagura has so casually flung onto his opponent. But this last one he conjured is at the size of a small planet, probably bigger than the set of three moons circling the Tatabi planet.

Letting out a ghastly sound, this giant star became enveloped by a stream of purple light as a space-bending shockwave pushed it out from the hole, right down at the raising blue fog coming from where the symbol is.

Ready to laugh away every bit of air he has in his lungs, Yagura stopped midway as his hand was reaching for his mouth, his eyebrows twitching slightly from the lack of a larger explosion.

A half-moon shaped form came flying out from hazy fog Asparus is inside. An energy wave compressed and formed into a sky-reaching slash that easily cut the giant star in half, then exploded right as it passed by the back of the planet-projectile exploding it into a million pieces.

The glowing smoke began to dissipate, revealing the form of a man standing tall and firm; one arm poised in front of him as the other is lifelessly hanging at the side.

"My word…" For the first time since he opened his mouth to utter the first condescending word, Yagura spoke seriously, almost dumbfounded. "Impossible, I hurled at him a spell with the size of a planet… HOW IS HE?!"

His golden eyes caught a fast and volatile movement coming from the man far below him. Instantly his hands shot up to his face, a streak of fear, senseless and overpowering, took hold of Yagura. He even squeals in panic, fearing that he would share the same fate of his last attack.

"N-No… Stop! STOOOOP!" Asparus' screams of pain ringed powerfully in its wake. The Saiyan King bringing his right hand to his head, his finger clenching at his hair as if wanted to dug inside his skull. "AAAAARGGGGHHH!"

First scared out of his mind after hearing that terrifying scream, Yagura jumped quite a few paces away from where he was standing. Then, still shielding his face behind his arms, he spared a glance towards Asparus and blinked utterly confused for seeing the other man almost crumbling down in pain.

"Y-You… You playful ape! That almost gave me a heart attack!" His annoying laughter escaped out from his lips, the overconfident wizard floating right back towards Asparus with his hands dancing in the air. "This is only understandable. Even a God like you would feel the burden of withstanding that much magical power. But I have to admit, quite the scare you gave me, mister Saiyan King."

Yagura's word had an instant effect on Asparus. The man that was tossing his head from one side to the other, groaning heavily in his suffering, suddenly stopped when he heard his enemy's voice.

Letting go of his hair, Asparus' right arm fell to the side, slowly reaching out to the handle of his weapon. "I like it…" He spoke in a soft and calm voice.

"Oh, is that true?" Yagura chuckled in mockery. "What part you liked best? When I broke your arm or when I tried to squish you into mush? Quite enlightening to know that the respectable leader of the Saiyan race is a proud masochist."

An aura of burning ki exploded around Asparus. The symbol beneath his feet got scorched into nothing, taking away any color of shape that the invisible ground had. This power increased even further, an aggressively bright silver light appeared around his legs, consuming every bit of color from his golden ki aura. Taking over as a rapidly evolving disease, this blinding silvery energy coated Asparus as a whole, changing even the color of his hair and eyes to the same shining silver light.

"When I say die, you fucking die." He repeated Yagura's words with a loud scoff at the end, his deadly gaze traveling up towards the other man. "I like it!"

Swinging his right arm in a short arch, Asparus unleashed another half-moon shaped ki slash. This attack passed by Yagura before he could even blink, leaving only a gush of wind to graze the man's green hair as the blast exploded against the invisible wall far away on this black space.

The cracking sound of glass could be heard, a large chunk of this confined space simply exploded out of existence, revealing the dark sky of the Tatabi planet.

"Yagura…" Asparus called out to him, a wicked smirk spreading over his lips. "Die."

"WAIT!" Yagura yelled too late. A powerful slash cleaved right through his body, parting him in two in the split of the moment.

But as not a single drop of blood came from the two halves of the ashen-skinned man, Asparus turned his gaze away from the slowly fading body and glanced towards the other one that appeared far high but on the opposite side.

"This is too much! I say wait, you uncultured Saiyan filth—" Another bright slash ripped the man into pieces, this time the wave traveling even further until it exploded more than half of the dark ceiling away. "LISTEN TO ME, CRETIN!"

To Yagura's desperate plea Asparus only gave a short grunt as a response.

Arching his arm behind his back, the Saiyan king pushed a heavy amount of his silvery ki onto his weapon. The sheer power of this ki, draining the light away from the dwindling stars still left on the pieces of dark space standing around them.

"Destroy!" Asparus roared, swinging his weapon in a full sweep in front of him. A massive discharge of energy flew forward, aiming towards the darkness lingering in the air. Blinding light took over the place, even for those outside this cage this light felt too overbearing to look at.

When it finally died out, the darkness was gone and together with it Yagura's unnatural powers.

"P-Please! Y-You don't want to do this." Trembling with each limb, Yagura hastily floated as far away as he could get from Asparus. In his desperation, the wizard flew towards the still active beacon of purple light. "Saiyans are the good guys, right? You don't kill, not someone disarmed and willing to surrender, right? Y-YOU DON'T WANT DO TO THIS!"

A dark glint of satisfaction flashed upon the Saiyan shining silver eyes. His lips parting into a twisted grin as he reached with his right arm above his head. "Omega Blade, Third Phase… OBLITERATION!"

The sword screeched with power, shining with a brighter force as it fell forward in a merciless swing. A giant cross-shaped beam came flying out of the celestial blade, flying up on a straight line towards its target, this massive ki blast swallowed everything that crossed its path.

The beacon of purple light, gone. The birds hovering over the sky, gone, together with the clouds around them. One of the smaller moons that were right above the sky, cleaved in twain. Nothing was left but air and dust, a clear demonstration of this devastating technique's handwork.

A glinting sound gave away Yagura's position and the fact that he survived. The green-haired wizard appeared to the side of the massive scar stretching far away on the planet's surface. Without any strength in his legs, and scared out of his wits, the fell with his belly on the dirt.

Quickly turning to direct his shaking gaze to the man on the other side of the crater, he began to crawl backward, creating little distance from where he landed. "W-What… are you?! That power is not the power of destruction… What was that?!"

Asparus growled in deep frustration. Holding his weapon ready at his side, he began to casually stroll over towards Yagura "Annoying little insect. Can't you respect your own words and die when I say so?"

"S-Stay away from me, y-you monster!"

These words made the Saiyan freeze in his march, his eyebrows twitching only once as his gaze trailed down to the side. "Monster…? Yeah, maybe I am."

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**\- Chapter End -**

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_**Reviews:**_

Uchiha247 chapter 15 . May 25 – Man... it felt a bit bad to write this chapter after reading your review. Because I have this planned from the moment I decided to put Kefla back in the story and the start will be the harder part, but I promise some light and funny moments for them in the future.

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VcArchangel chapter 15 . May 26 – I understand your concern, since I share it too. Not only writing a fused character is hard as hell, since I have to consider both Caulifla and Kale in their role as Kefla, there is also the complication of the relationship of everybody.

But I say this to you, no matter what I will never ruin the pairings of the story just for some hot scenes without purpose. After thinking a lot, I decided to put Kefla back exactly to make things more interesting all the while she is here and after she is gone.


	17. Chapter 17 - What Have Been Lost

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

_**AN: **Given how special the events of this chapter are, I've included a very amazing and badass song to go along with it._

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**\- Chapter 17 -**

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"Asparus, stop!"

The earth trembled heavily as someone crash-landed hastily at the barren ground inside the burning scar crossing the planet's surface.

Sparing a rare glance towards the newcomer, Asparus brushed away the rising dust flying his way; his focus and his pure attention focused on the ashen-skinned wizard slowly crawling away from the Saiyan king.

"Just a moment, Cabba." Asparus waved his working arm at his side in a casual manner. "Let me deal with this parasite, then I will be back with you."

Rushing forward in a quick sprint, the young hero jumped in front of his friend and raised both arms to block the way. "I told you to stop!" He warned with a low growl. "What are you going to do with him, huh? Kill a disarmed and yielding foe? This is not you, Asparus! You need to let go of that sword; you have to come back to your senses."

A drifting puff of dust raced between both Saiyans, passing by the resolute looking Cabba and the silent Asparus, holding his gaze locked on Yagura. Slowly and calmly, Asparus' silver-colored eyes traveled towards his friend, yet not a drop of friendliness was found in them.

"Raise your ki, Cabba." The king spoke in a commanding tone, his words not a suggestion but strict orders.

Cabba was left without words. For a single moment, his instincts kicked in fast, taking the sight of his longtime friend as a dangerous enemy. "Asparus… I will not fight you."

One silver streak of light flashed forward, its sharp edge crashing upon Cabba's chest, tearing his shirt off in a single strike. The sheer force of this energy blast pushed Cabba in a straight line backward, his feet grinding down against the burnet ground.

Arching forward with the searing pain, Cabba brought one hand to his chest, his fingers feeling the wet sensation of blood dirtying his skin. "Really now… is this what you are going to do?"

"I warned you multiple times, soldier." Asparus spat back, his eyes burning in their glare. "Enough of your nagging, enough of ordering me around. Raise your ki, Cabba! Or I will cut you down where you stand."

Cabba concerned and slightly confused features changed quickly into a frown and then a scowl. His black eyes flickered with power, changing to a bright blue color. "I fought you before… just like this." Taking three steps forward, his feet firmly pressed on the ground. "Your mind all scrambled, controlled by something. I beat you last time and I will beat you again. If that is what it takes to bring you back to normal."

A sandstorm came to life as Cabba's ki exploded out from his body. A massive aura flared up around him, the bright gold color coated by an even brighter blue. Wavering with the gushes of air flying away from the display of power, his golden hair seamed to grow longer just a bit, getting even higher in its spikes.

Letting out a fierce roar, Cabba ascended to the peak of his Super Saiyan Rage. In his heart beats the tune of sympathy for his friend, but in his head, there is only the burning desire to win.

Asparus chuckled away after witnessing his friend transformation. "Nothing is controlling me. This is my freedom; this is my power." As his body tensed up, his ki exploded out from his body, more and more of that silver light enveloping him, getting brighter and stronger around the young king. "This once I will show you the extension of my true strength. One last battle to show you who is the stronger one."

Cabba scoffed loudly, something that deeply irritated his friend. "In the shape you are now." His gaze went towards Asparus' limp arm, clearly broken after his fighter against the strange ashen-skinned man. "I give you two minutes of a fight at best." An unconscious sneer escaped the young Saiyan Captain.

"Enough talk." Asparus shouted from the top of his lungs, his ki aura getting larger and bigger. "CAAABBAA!"

Both Saiyans flew forward in a straight line, Asparus arching his right arm back to swing his sword; with Cabba pulling his left arm back preparing for a strike of his own. Reaching one another in a minute, both warriors unleashed their first attempt.

Cabba's left fist shot up and Asparus right arm came swinging down. A punch blocked by a forearm and a sword halted midair. One explosive shockwave erupted from the spot where the two of them connected, any dust hovering around them got blasted away, clearing the scene that froze up in a chaotic but majestic scenery.

Like a work of art, a painting of history passed by, their battle started with them locked in a perfect stalemate.

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**Yakuza 0 OST - Pledge of Demon - watch?v=ga8yUafqiLM**

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Violent turmoil erupted in the air, piercing gushes of wind scattering across the recently created crater, ruining the soil into an unrepairable state. The crackling sound echoed across this malformed plain with powerful shockwaves exploding everywhere, bending the ground inside itself. A phenomenon akin to an apocalypse is unfolding, breaking the feeble world in its rage.

Letting out a brief gasp of air, Cabba landed on the ground with his hands guarding his upper body. His eyes focused on his opponent on the opposite side of this burnet scar. Pressing his right foot against the earth, he pushed himself forward yet again.

Swinging his right fist in a fast arc, the soldier tried to hit the other Saiyan in the face. Despite putting his full weight on the strike, Cabba felt the hard surface of the sword's side, blocking his attack yet again. Pulling himself in the air to gain an extra momentum, he swept his left leg in a sharp diagonal kick.

Feeling the attack incoming his way, Asparus ducked under the powerful kick, air grazing against his hair as he passed under it. Turning in a mid-circle, he raised his right arm in a straight line with his weapon aimed at his opponent's back.

Spinning rapidly midair, Cabba switched his stance to pull his strength on the right leg, kicking the sword away before it could reach his back. Pushing himself down to touch the ground again, he quickly jumped toward Asparus again, one left hook rising to meet his opponent's left side.

Unable to use his broken arm, Asparus' only choice was to raise his leg and block Cabba's hit with his knee. Halting the other's advance, the young king slid his weapon on his hand, switching the stance of his handle over the sword. Bringing down the Omega Blade's hilt onto Cabba's direction, he aimed at the soldier's left temple.

Seeing the after-image of Asparus' arm, Cabba pushed his hand upwards and caught the sword by its fancy pommel. Taking a firm hold of the weapon in his grasp, Cabba immobilized Asparus' only functioning arm. Using this to his advantage, he stepped forward in an aggressive rush all the while pulling the sword down towards him.

Feeling the incoming strike coming his way, Asparus released his hold of the sword and jumped back before Cabba's foot could connect with his stomach. Furious over the loss of his precious weapon, Asparus glared at Cabba right before leaping forward with a flying kick.

Reading the movement with ease, Cabba raised the Omega Blade in the air and blocked the kick with its side. Having stopped his opponent's momentum completely, he jumped higher than wha Asparus was and punched him straight onto his right cheek.

Groaning harshly at the powerful strike crashing on his face, Asparus spun wildly in the air. What Cabba failed to notice was the speed at which Asparus was spinning, faster than what the punch could have pushed him for. Then, taking his opponent by surprise, Asparus brought his leg in a mid-circle and then flying upwards to explode right onto Cabba's chest.

Letting out a grunt of pain of his own, Cabba went flying backward over the strength of the kick, and with the pain numbing his thoughts, his grip over the sword slipped and it felt at the broken earth.

With Asparus rolling back to create a bit of distance between them and Cabba flying in the opposite direction after getting kicked, the Omega Blade fell right in the middle between them.

Taking this spare moment to collect themselves and regain their breath, Asparus and Cabba stared at each other in silent contemplation. Their gazes, however, soon trailed down to the sword standing right in the middle of their open ground arena.

Seeing the fingers of his friend's hand twitch, Cabba sprung forward in a decisive sprint, his aim locked at the sword. Thinking only of denying Asparus his powerful weapon, the Saiyan soldier disregarded everything else just for the sake of taking the sword back in his hands again. But as he got steps away from touching the blade's handle, Asparus instantly appeared on top of the sword, taking it on his hand.

Pulling his arm back, the Saiyan king poised the weapon at his head's height. Turning his hand at a forward angle, he prepared to gather and release his ki through the blade. Seeing his opponent's pose and recognizing that stance, Cabba's eyes widened and his teeth gritted. Throwing his hand to the side, he pushed a fast wave of energy from his hands creating an impulse to throw himself out of the sword's range.

This improvised escaped proved to be precise and flawless, as a massive line of silver light exploded from the Omega Blade, destroying everything in its path and scarring this place even further.

As Asparus quickly tried to turn and aim his sword at Cabba's direction, the other Saiyan was already on top of him, pushing down a fast-incoming punch. Striking true to its target, the punch echoed in the air as Cabba's fist collided onto his friend's nose, disorienting Asparus and forcing him to walk several steps back.

Unrelenting in his assault, Cabba quickly marched forward in blinding speed, his left leg sweeping the air in a powerful kick, tackling the sword out of Asparus' hand and up in the air. Jumping high up, Cabba turned in full spin, delivering another quick sweeping-kick, but this time kicking the Omega Blade far far away from both of them.

As a small grin appeared on his lips, he felt an incoming pressure rising from bellow. His eyes barely had any time to register the flying fist coming his way before the punch connected with his chin, jolting his head back and sending him flying back and down onto the ground.

Firmly pressing his footing on the broken earth, Cabba ran one hand over the bloody scratch on his chin. "It's… over… Asparus." He announced with ragged breathing. "I knocked your stupid sword away… If you try to teleport to it again, I will blow both of you up."

Having the same agitated and ragged breathing, Asparus raised his eyes towards his friend, his gaze burning in a menacing glare. "Y-You… never fucking learn…" He spat back angrily. "It was never the sword, dumbass…. T-That power… IS MINE!"

Raising his ki in a full explosion of power, Asparus blurred into a silver streak of light. Vanishing from his spot, he quickly reappeared right on top of Cabba. Crouching hastily as his feet touched the ground, Asparus jumped onto Cabba with his right knee firmly pushing forward. With his left arm swinging like a ragdoll at his side, he gritted his teeth in pain as he tackled onto Cabba's chest.

Cabba released a broken gasp of pain, his feet sliding back on the earth, his vision blurring out for a mere moment. Still, even in that blurred field of view, he saw Asparus turning into a streak of silver yet again. Then a fast punch came flying down and crashed onto the soldier's head, making him bend slightly forward and groan even louder.

Asparus moved like light itself, fast and unpredictable. Even with his heightened senses and years of training, Cabba can barely see how fast his friend is moving. One after another, he felt his body getting bombarded by a volley of punches and kicks; in isolation, he could take every single one of these strikes and barely feel anything, but being washed over by an overwhelming stream of them is quickly taking its toe on the soldier's body.

"GGGRRRAAAAHHHH, ENOUGH!" Exploding his ki in a massive wave around him, Cabba managed to push Asparus away from for enough time for him to gather his thoughts and bearings.

Pushing forward before his opponent could resume his assault, Cabba flew in a straight line onto Asparus and grabbed him by the beck with one hand. Using his right hand to hold Asparus in place, Cabba began a relentless combo of punches of his own. Far slower than Asparus' lightning-quick attacks, Cabba's punches are far more powerful and effective, with one of them having enough strength to push the air out from the Saiyan king's lungs.

Almost giving in to the searing pain consuming his body, Asparus managed to raise one leg and block Cabba's continuous stream of attacks. Taking this chance to try and counter-attack, the Saiyan king pulled his right arm back and aimed a straight punch on his opponent's face.

Noticing how bad this position puts him in to try and block the incoming punch, Cabba decided to attack instead of defending. Right as Asparus' fist exploded on his left cheek, Cabba released his hold on his opponent's neck and shot his right leg in a rising arc. The kick instantly connected onto Asparus' broken arm, bending the limb into a painfully wrong position, getting a bloody scream out of the Saiyan king's mouth.

Tapping the tip of his right foot against the ground, Cabba tried desperately to regain his footing. In the process, he ended up bouncing several steps away from his opponent. Asparus, screaming in pain, fell to his knee, while holding on to his broken arm.

Almost breaking his teeth as he gritted them in rage, Asparus raised his shining silver eyes onto Cabba. The young soldier met those shining eyes with an equally powerful glare. However, where Cabba's eyes are focused and purposeful, Asparus's eyes are dull and lifeless as if he was sleeping with open eyes.

"You… will pay… for this…" Putting a massive effort in his actions, Asparus got back on his feet. Releasing his hold on his broken arm, he extended his right hand to the side and with a bright flash, the Omega Blade appeared on his grasp.

Witnessing the gigantic amount of ki that Asparus was gathering at the base of his sword, Cabba sighed in frustration and spread his legs in a form to take the most support he can out of his footing.

Steeling his resolve and clinging sorely on his pride as a warrior, Cabba pushed one arm to each of his sides. The entirety of the ki floating around him in his aura got pulled back to his hands, the amount of power and energy flowing through them making his arms tremble almost out of control.

"**Omega Blade... Second Phase: TURMOIL!"**

"**FINAL FLASH!" **

As the two gigantic energy waves flew forward and connected, the world stopped breathing. Everything began to shake, the air flared up with lightning bolts flying everything. Apart from the opposing wave of ki clashing against one another, nothing else could stand the pressure and power coming from those attacks and the earth is receiving the brunt of this experience.

What was before a straight line of a crater, is now an increasing chasm that is slowly but surely consuming everything around the Saiyans, giving away under the power of their ki. The purple sky also began to crack and scream, lashing down thunder and lighting, the world truly breaking from their exchange of power.

In the same manner as they've begun this duel, they are locked in a perfect stalemate. When one wave begins to push the other back, it quickly loses ground and goes back to the insane exchange.

With nothing to stand on, both Saiyans are holding their arms forward while floating in the air. Both putting their everything in this attack, knowing that the first one to waver will most likely die.

A third pulse of light came from the sky, red and green came crashing down on the planet like a meteor, landing right in the middle of their exchange of ki, destroying both energy waves into thousand splinters of shining orbs.

The destruction of the gigantic ball of energy that was the middle of their crossing of energy beams, left an unnatural void in the air, something that quickly lashed out and pulled everything towards it and them down into the massive crater.

Utterly confused and drained after their last attack, Cabba and Asparus both fell face flat on the dirty ground, their muscles trembling and aching after everything that just happened.

"What the hell… ARE YOU TWO IDIOTS DOING?!" Kefla's voice boomed in the air louder than any thunderclap from before. Her words, invading in their tone and demeanor, forced both males to wince and cover their ears.

"Ke…fla…" Asparus raised his eyes to her and the glare he got from her made him feel a deep sense of fear and shame.

"I… told you, didn't I?" Cabba said from his spot on the opposite side. "That thing is messing with his head. He was ready to commit murder, I had to stop him." He too got his share from the dangerous glare coming from Kefla, but different from Asparus he held his head up and defied her with a glare of his own.

"I don't care what you had to do or felt like doing." She growled at Cabba. "You two were lucky I managed to get here in time… this crap I saw here is inexcusable. Morons!"

"Where is he?!" Asparus shouted, startling both Kefla and Cabba.

"Where is who?" Kefla asked back.

"Yagura… where is he?" He trailed his eyes to Cabba and them to their surroundings. "Where…" Asparus tried his best to stand up, but his legs gave on him and he fell on his knee. "I need to find him… He needs to… die…"

"Gods, Asparus… You're still thinking of doing that?" Cabba asked in complete outrage.

Kefla snarled more than loudly. "Any of you still want to fight?" She cracked her knuckles in a warning. "I will more than gladly punch some common sense into both of you."

As the Saiyan trio was trying to come to an understanding, the sky turned black once more. One after the other, hundreds of spaceships appeared out of nowhere, covering up the free space that was cleared by Kefla just seconds ago.

They brought their eyes up in surprise and terror as an even bigger fleet came to replace the destroyed one.

"H-Hello… Heellooo! Can you people hear me?" Yagura's unmistakable voice stormed the entire planet. Somehow the master wizard managed to get back into one of his ships with his fleet now pointing their guns down onto the massive crater. "Mister Saiyan King… That was a spectacle to behold."

"Yagura!" Asparus growled towards the sky, the fury burning his chest alone managed to push him to his feet.

"Now, in all honesty, you have my utmost gratitude, mister Saiyan King." Yagura's voice boomed yet again. "This little ordeal proved to be most enlightening. You just helped science progress much forward. Imagine the blunder if I tried to take on the god of destruction with such failure of a weapon, BAH!"

"Who is the freak speaking?" Kefla roared, pointing with a finger towards the horde of ships far above them.

"God of destruction?" Cabba raised another inquire. "Are they after lord Champa as well?"

"Oh poor ignorant ape, that putrid pink mass of fat is my one and only target." Yagura decided to answer only one of them while ignoring the Saiyan girl. "As much as I would love to sit here and explain my motives for another one of your kind, it seems that my time is now fleeting once again. Thanks to a certain someone for breaking this lovely planet." If his voice could point at someone it would be directly pointing at Asparus with that last remark, something that didn't go unnoticed by the Saiyan King.

"How dare you…. Filthy piece of garbage!" Feeling his blood boil one more time, Asparus raised his voice to its maximum as he extended his right hand to the side. With a tempestuous show of light, the Omega Blade reappeared on his hand again, shining brighter than ever. "I will finish what I started, even if I have to destroy your entire fleet together with you!"

The air around Asparus began to swirl, getting heavier with the intense amount of ki gathering on his sword.

"Woah there, we can't have another one of those rampages" As he probably turned away from the microphone, Yagura's voice got more distant and a bit muffled. "Come on people, put a leash on the animals. No time to waste here, chop-chop."

With his command being given, every ship floating in the sky began to shine with a strange dull glow, all of them activating that accursed energy-draining gems. However, different from the first time, this invading mechanism is ten times stronger than the previous one, sending constant waves of pinkish rays in the atmosphere.

Right as the first wave of light touched the ground where they stand, Cabba fell to the ground with a hand gripping his chest. As if his breath was just stolen away from him, the young soldier began to gasp loudly and even droll in his intense agony.

To his side, Kefla got forced down to her knee. Having a lot more ki than Cabba, she still is pushed to hee limit under this assault. Pressing her fingers against her chest, she is breathing harshly, her left eye almost closed in her state of disarray.

Yet, the sole target of Yagura's attack still stands strong with his blade gathering more and more energy. And seeing the other two suffering right next to him only served to push Asparus into a deeper fit of rage.

"YAGURA!" The king's voice exploded upwards, ringing loudly across the ruined plains. Pushing his still working arm with a full thrust, he unleashed a large and powerful beam of pure silver light.

"FIRE EVERYTHING NOW, YOU IMBECILES!" Barking the orders in desperation, Yagura commanded his fleet to fire their weapons and with fast precision they all did.

One single, but massive, beam of energy flew up from the planet, while a stream of hundreds of yellow beams flew down from the armada. The clashing happened in the exact position where all the beams connected and morphed into a single crushing power. Yellow against Silver, a tug war that was far beyond Asparus' remaining ki.

Almost crushed under the weight of that dreadful stream of light, Asparus went with one knee to the ground, his arm getting slowly pushed back as his silver beam is starting to lose ground.

"Ke-Kefla." He called out to her. "I want you to take my sword and teleport back to Sadala with Cabba."

"What?! I will not leave you here!" She quickly spat back, desperately trying to get back on her feet just to get pushed down by her exhaustion. "E-Even if I wanted… You are using the sword to stop them."

Asparus shook his head, a small grin appearing on his lips. "T-That's easy to fix…" Tightening the grip on his sword, Asparus focused part of his ki onto the weapon and with a simple command, the Omega Blade disappeared from his hand and reappeared beside Kefla.

Losing his weapon and the focus of his beam, Asparus almost surrendered the battle of power against the fleet. If he hadn't quickly pushed his hand forward, releasing even more ki from his hand, the planet would've exploded right now.

"Ke-Kefla, please… you have to go." He pleaded in between grunts and heavy gasps, his arm trembling wildly with the pressure put on it.

"I can't leave you here Asparus… not like this." She tried to stand up a third time, and this time her legs held long enough for her to keep a shaky stance, using the sword now on her hands as firm support.

"Don't worry. I will be right after you two." Asparus continued, his words making Kefla look at him with a confused look. "I don't need to sword anymore… I-I can teleport with my ki alone… But I can't do that and hold this thing at the same time… You need to go first!"

"Promise." She said with glittering eyes. "Promise me that you will get back, that you will live."

Asparus chuckled, a pained and tired chuckled. "I promise, Kefla. But, please hurry up. If I keep using my ki to hold against this thing, there will be none left for me to teleport."

Something deep inside of her told Kefla that she shouldn't believe his words. A strange feeling inside her chest was pushing her to step forward and grab Asparus within her arms and never let go of him again. But that sincere and even dorky smile splattered on his lips was enough to fuel her trust in him and put her in a different path.

Nodding with certainty, Kefla slowly made her way towards Cabba and as she stepped next to him, she kneeled at his side and grabbed him with one hand. Closing her eyes in a painful struggle, she shoved and pushed every bit of ki that she has left inside into the sword resting on her left hand.

As that strange tingling sensation began to spread all over her, as the silver light came to life and started to surround her and Cabba in its warm, Kefla opened her eyes and looked towards Asparus.

"You promi-" With a flash of light, both Saiyans disappeared, leaving only a gush of dust behind where they were.

"The other two got away?!" Yagura's voice boomed loudly in the air, filled not with anger or disappointment but rather full of surprise and excitement. "Never a dull moment with you lot, huh?"

Watching his loved ones get out of the danger, Asparus felt his drive to push forward diminish rather rapidly. If not for the annoyance that Yagura's voice brings him, he would have yielded by now.

"That's quite the sad scene, Mister Saiyan King… Left all alone and at your last leg. Truly a heart-wrenching sight." Faking sadness and compassion, Yagura's voice mellows quite a bit. "Say, as a token of appreciation for the lessons you taught me today, I shall share a rather intimate thought with you."

Gritting his teeth in anger, Asparus pushed his arm forward, gaining small but constant space in the struggle. "Will… you… shut up… already?!" He hissed under his breath.

"Now, now… don't be rude. You see, Asparus, this encounter of ours had a profound impact on my gentle soul. How you defy everything in your path, how wonderful is this flame that burns inside of you." Even through the speaker, it could be 'felt' the strange way that Yagura had begun to squirm around. "With no shame and regret, I declare you the object of my newfound obsession." His voice grew darker and deeper, almost as if someone else was speaking in his stead.

"Gods… that person will drive me insane… focus, Asparus, focus!" The young king closed his eyes, focusing sorely on the promise he made to Kefla. "Easier said than done…" Obviously, he would love nothing but to keep his promise, yet to this day he has yet to successfully teleport without the help of his sword.

"Looks like times up, little Asparus." Yagura giggled. "Please, surprise me once again. Do the impossible and survive… I would love to see the full extent of that monster that lives inside of you."

As the hateful wizard said, Asparus is at the point of no return. His ki is rapidly draining out and if he waits anymore, he will be left without option but to win, and that is something he will never be able to do, not at this point.

Breathing in and breathing out, he closed his eyes and took a decisive move. "Please, fucking work!"

In a swift move, he ceased the massive beam that was flying out from his hand and pulled his arm over to his chest.

Then, it took less than three seconds for the planet to get blasted by the gigantic wave of energy. First, one massive gaping hole cut through the world, and as the beam crossed on the other side, violent cracks formed on the surface. A small explosion came to life, followed by larger and larger ones.

In less than a minute, the small and purple Tatabi world ceased to exist in a searing explosion.

* * *

**\- Chapter End -**

* * *

VcArchangel chapter 16 . Jun 12 – Glad you liked that one. I really want to put this feeling of guardians of universe to the Saiyans of U6 and the Defense Force as a whole. I hope it can do them justice in the story overall.


	18. Chapter 18 - Broken Until Fixed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

* * *

**\- Chapter 18 -**

* * *

Pacing through the corridors of the massive building, the infamous Tuffle scion barely registers the stuttering voices beckoning towards him; soldiers, and civilian employers paying their respect towards him with their suspicious gazes.

Yet their distrustful eyes and empty courtesy is the last thing in his mind for the past few days.

For someone that was drowned in this suffocating atmosphere for his entire life, Ichigo has found a new guiding light to drive his mind. And this new precious object of his fascination is just behind the heavy door now standing in front of him.

Raising his right arm slowly and timidly, Ichigo stopped his hand in quiet anticipation just before he could knock at the metallic surface. Taking a simple calming breath, he diffused his racing heart back into a proper state; then putting on his usual and charming smile, he knocked away and announced his presence.

Few moments of silence followed the ringing sound coming from the door, but it last only enough to let Ichigo gather his composure better.

"Come in." Replied a masculine voice, one that despite its deeper tone it yet brings a rush of feelings to the red-haired man.

Pressing the button at the side of the doorframe, Ichigo patiently watches as the heavy door slides itself open, revealing the grand and luxurious room he has arranged to his guest. Taking a set of steps inside the room, he stopped in mild surprise, his eyes settling on the form of the other person standing in front of the giant window on the other side of the room, his back turned to the entrance.

"I presume you're feeling better now." Ichigo said calmly with his velvet voice.

Coorin turned his head to the side, giving the other person a casual side-glance. "Yeah… I barely feel anything now, my body still moves like a log tough." He said with a sheepish smile.

"The fact that you can move so freely is outstanding. I've seen many great warriors reduced to powerless ragdoll, useless as an infant, because of their ki constantly being repressed." Ichigo eyed at Coorin with a mixture of wonder and uneasiness. "Saiyans are truly terrifying."

Strange as those words may have sound, they still managed to make the small Saiyan smile. "You can bet your ass that we are. If anything, this room is serving as a training room for me. The more exhausted we get, the more powerful we become. That is the Saiyan way. With this stupid room making so hard for me to even walk, I will get out of here stronger than even Cabba."

"The Saiyan Hero?" Ichigo asked, one hand going to his chin with one finger grazing over his lips. "That would be quite the accomplishment, I heard he is one of the strongest beings on the universe."

Turning around in his spot, Coorin gave Ichigo a contemplating glance. He then arched forward and busted out laughing. "What kind of weird image you people have of Cabba?!" Spat out the young soldier, one hand wiping stray tears from his eyes. "It's not like he is this giant of a mountain, while the rest of us are just tiny little cliffs. Oh, so just we are clear, I am an Elite Soldier too. Without this stupid ki draining thing going on, I could whoop your butt in the split of a second."

"There's no one doubting that here." Ichigo promptly raised both arms in the air, but a sparkly grin is shining on his lips.

Seeing that bright smile on that man's lips made Coorin smile too, sincere and warm. Like many other times, he finds himself getting drawn to this friendly image Ichigo gives him. But just as the other times, he reigned in his racing heart and shifted his gaze away.

Looking for a diversion from this troubling path that his mind always tried to go to, Coorin looked for anything to pull him and Ichigo away from this cozy mood settling down. His eyes traveled down and an idea instantly popped on his head.

"What's the deal with this?" He grabbed the sides of his new vestment, raising the silky fabric slightly up in the air. "Why the hell I'm getting nothing but stupid dresses to wear?! Are you trying to imply something with this crap?"

Ichigo's eyes drifted towards Coorin's image, his mind began to wander to places where the young Tuffle so fervently tried to stay away from. However, this is a battle that his consciousness has no hope of winning. How beautiful this person looks still baffles Ichigo out of his words, and despite the muscles and well-trained body, Coorin manages to wear the feminine attire with such grace and figure that puts many nobility-raised ladies to shame.

"Hey! I am talking with you. My eyes are up here, moron." Coorin barked with this normal and harsh way of speaking, always managing to include one or more insults in his vocabulary.

"I-I… My apologies, it was not my intention to offend you in any manner." Ichigo politely bowed in front of his guest, an act that always manage to put Coorin in a slightly uncomfortable position. "However, about your concern with the clothes provided to you… I share not the blame for this misunderstanding. The people responsible for your provisions are also responsible for everyone's quarters, mine included. They've probably mistaken you for a girl, seeing how pretty and small you look."

Unknown to him, Ichigo has just stepped on Coorin's toe. Anyone familiar with the small but unruly soldier would've known not to compare or insinuate that he is female; a complex that he has to this day due to his appearance.

So taken by surprise, Ichigo almost fell on his back when the Saiyan quickly dashed across the room and practically jumped on top of him with fangs baring menacingly.

"Wanna fight, Asshole?" Coorin barked out loudly. "Let me pack a good punch on that face of yours and let's see who is the girl here."

"W-Wha?! I beg your pardon. It was not my intention to offend you in any way." Ichigo had to duck backward to escape a left hook coming from the fuming Saiyan. "Please, there is no need for violence. I only spoke what may have happened in the process of sorting your new clothes." He raised a hand in a peace offering, managing to calm Coorin enough to a state where the Saiyan is only glaring at him. "I am sure the working staff also had no ill intent in their minds. You see, Saiyans are a topic of myth to my… people. Most Tuffles who have encountered Saiyans in the past are gone, either dead or hiding away. So, to them, Saiyans are big bad things that exist only to kill and destroy."

"Then a small guy like me appears and they think 'Oh, that must be a Saiyan woman then'." Coorin spat out angrily. "To hell with that… And to us, the big bad things are you Tuffles."

"I will not debate the nuances of war with you, but I will not disagree with your concept either. Truly, is not important, is it?" Ichigo stepped forward, risking the wrath of the smaller man standing in front of him. "In here, just the two of us. I don't see a Saiyan, not anymore. I rather see you, Coorin, instead of putting a label on you and treat you with prejudice."

Coorin scoffed, one hand going to his waist as he looked at Ichigo with indifference. "Big talk, coming from the guy who puts the label of a girl on me just because of my face."

"It did not such a thing." Ichigo quickly replied. Taking another step forward, the daring red-haired Tuffle brought his hand to Coorin face and calmly grazed the Saiyan's right cheek with the back of his fingers. "I see you for what you are. Beautiful, strong, and a bit of a dirty mouth. Even if you are male… to me that is…"

"S-Stop…" Coorin held his hand forward, pressing it against Ichigo's chest, stopping the red-haired inches away from his lips. "This is wrong. I told you before, we can't. I love Janola too much to do this to him."

"Ringo… huh?" Ichigo lowered his head, hiding his eyes behind his bangs. His lips quivered painfully, his brother's name echoing silently yet again through his lips. "At-At least tell me… if was not for him, if you had no feelings for my brother. Would I have any chances?"

If Coorin had any anger left in him, it vanished as soon as he saw the longing look in those yellow eyes. Deep down he wanted to just nod his head and give at least this solace to this person desperately trying to reach out for affection.

But his hesitation overwhelmed him, robbing Coorin of the chance of speaking anything and Ichigo the chance for a response.

Soon the heavy door slid open again, this time revealing a dashing young woman with a piercing glare stuck on her features. Quickly stomping inside the room, Mikan stopped mouth open and frowning at the scene that she landed onto.

Clearing her throat loudly in an exaggerated way, she made sure to make her presence clear, prompting Coorin to step away from Ichigo and turn away, glancing back to the giant window at the back.

"Father is calling you." Mikan said to her brother.

Holding his gaze firmly down to the ground, Ichigo replied first with a rasped grunt. "Did he say anything else?" He slowly moved his eyes towards his sister, his gaze cold and distant.

A soft gasp escaped Mikan's lips. She knows this look on her brother's eyes, she hates it, she fears it. But the thing that scared her the most is that Ichigo always made his best to hide this side of him away from her, and now…

"No… father only asked for you, he didn't say any more than that." She replied meekly, taking her eyes away from her brother, refusing to look at him on that state again.

Ichigo sighed deeply, his empty yellow eyes drifting towards the open door. "I see… I must apologize, Coorin. It seems our small conversation will have to end here." Sparing a glance towards the Saiyan, Ichigo's features grew heavier and colder as he caught only a small shrug on the boy's back. Biting his lower lip in frustration, the tall red-haired man turned his back to the Saiyan and quickly began to march towards the exit.

"I-I…" Coorin's voice traveled around the room, making Ichigo stop instantly in his tracks. "Maybe… That's my answer."

At that moment the emptiness vanished from Ichigo's eyes, his lips parting into a soft but bright smile. Without turning back to look at Coorin, he nodded only once and then stepped away, leaving towards his duty but now with a clearer mind and with his confident grin back on his face.

With his back turned, Coorin failed to see the impact that his words had on the young Tuffle. Yet, even if he has not seen that huge change in Ichigo's behavior, someone else did.

Mikan locked her gaze on the Saiyan, a deep frown taking hold of her features. Her indifference for the Saiyan growing into distrust and spite.

"This is the first time I see you, Saiyan." Said the red-haired girl, her words coming out with all the bitterness she could muster.

Coorin noticed the tone of her voice and the ill-intent coming from the girl, which made him turn and look at her with a frown of his own.

"I will admit, it was a lack of courage that made me evade this room for this long. You've been here for what. one week? Maybe one and a half?" She continued. "It's about time I face reality, isn't it?"

"Your point?" Coorin's normal behavior quickly began to quick in again. He was never one to shy away from confrontation, and he has never had a bias towards women either. Contrary to his friends, Coorin never held himself even if the other person was a girl. "Are you going to glare at me all day long or are you going spill whatever bullshit you have to say?"

"I despise you… you filthy ape." She growled at him angrily. "You… you may have taken Ringo away from us, away from me…" Striding forward fearlessly, Mikan stepped right in front of Coorin, their heights almost identical as they glared at each other.

"Is this about Janola again?" Coorin raised an eyebrow seeing how she trembled in anger after hearing that name.

"RINGO! That is his real name!" Mikan yelled with enough force to make her cheeks get red. "I saw how Ichigo looked at you… I will not allow it, never! You will not take away another one of my brothers."

"Yeah, like I came along and kidnapped him when he was a toddler." Puffing his chest out, Coorin scoffed away as the girl looked ready to jump at him and claw at his face with her nails. "Janola is his own person. I did shit to him, you hear me? Oh, and your brother is his own person too. Don't put this on me, like I go around mind-controlling half-Tuffles like that is my superpower."

"You may as well have it, you harlot!" She shrieked the words out.

"The hell?!" And Coorin bared his fangs at her, outraged by the insult.

"I don't know what kind of breed you are, but are clearly not a normal Saiyan with that stupid cute face of yours." Mikan got a slight tint of red in her cheeks as she blurred the words away without thinking of them. "But I am warning you, stay away from my brother."

As Mikan tried to stay in her tiptoes to get a height advantage on him, Coorin pushed her away with both hands, shoving the girl to the other side of the room. "Get out of here before you get hurt. I will mess you face even you are daddy's little girl."

Mouth agape and arms protectively pushing against her breasts, Mikan glared at Coorin with her face completely red. "Y-Y-You perverted fiend!" She yelled in accusation, turning her gaze away from the confused Saiyan that didn't even notice where he had touched to push the girl away. "This is not over, Saiyan harlot!" Teary eyes glossing her vision, Mikan ran out of the room, tapping it closed shut as she jumped into the hallway.

"What is wrong with this family…" Coorin watched dumbfounded the closed door as the room faded back to its peaceful silence. Taking a slow look at himself, the young soldier went back to his spacious bed, frowning quietly with his woes after the sudden confusion shoved upon him. "Do I have Tuffles pheromones or something?"

* * *

The past few days have been not kind to the young Saiyan Hero. Pilling up as much work he could in front of him, Cabba has his face buried in a towering stack of papers. His mind and focus sorely put into handling the matters that he can resolve, while doing his best to forget everything else or he would risk losing his mind to the chaotic stream of bad thoughts locked away on his consciousness.

Fighting his best friend the way he did would never feel good to him or anyone, but the worse part is the aftermath of all that.

More than a week now has passed since the incident that brought them all to that strange purple planet. For more than seven days Asparus has been missing with no sign to his whereabouts.

To Sadala this is as messy and troublesome as it could get. The defense force in a strange state of disarray, with the higher-ups wreaking their heads in the search for the missing king while the big mass of soldiers left to do nothing more than the standard command of standing alert and be ready to battle at any moment's notice.

With the help of the other members of the Elite, or the ones that are in condition to help, Cabba has been trying to get a reign over this problem. This was never the job he had signed up for, taking care of the entire planet, better yet, the entire Defense Force.

Just thinking about his position is enough to make Cabba sigh deeply in frustration, and no amount of burying his face on paperwork will take away this sentiment.

"Have you been sleeping these past days?"

Cabba jumped startled on his seat after hearing someone speaking. He was so focused on his problems at hand and the ones in his head, that he didn't notice Janola opening the door and walking in the room.

Taking his tired eyes towards the newcomer, Cabba saw his friend walking towards him holding two steaming mugs in his hands.

"You should drink it." Janola gave one of the mugs to him, sparing a sympathetic glance to his friend. "Coffee will never replace a good night of sleep, but will keep you going for a little longer."

Not need to convince him to take it, Cabba gladly accepted the hot mug in his hands. His tired eyes glancing down to the mesmerizing steam coming from the hot dark liquid. "Thanks…" He replied with a shy nod, then took a small sip without caring for borderline burning sensation filling up his mouth.

"Keep working like that and you will be out of commission too." Taking a seat on the other side of the large round table, Janola tried to jest in a lighter mood, but his mind is so heavy right now that his attempt sounded just as exhausted and rasped as Cabba's grunt of reply. "Any word about him?" Janola asked before the awkward silence could get any worse.

Another long sigh flew out, followed by a slow shaking of head.

"Anything on the Tuffles?" Janola tried another one.

"Vanished like ghosts…" Cabba replied quickly and in a dried tone. "I went back there… found nothing but flying rubbles of a destroyed planet. Tried to reach out to the more secluded side of the galaxy... not a whisper. It's like they were just things of my imagination."

Both soldiers frowned quietly, Cabba burying his head on his papers again and Janola gripping his hands into fists.

"Is he… you think he is dead?" The half-Saiyan almost choked on his words as he asked the question nobody wanted to ask these past days.

"The first priority on my list was to check on that." Cabba brought his head up again, his eyes diverting back to his friend. "I called in a few favors with some people involved with the gods. I know for a fact that Asparus is not dead. Now where in the Kaioshin's name he has disappeared to, that's the damn mystery." Pushing his back against his chair, Cabba looked to the ceiling in exasperation. "Not even those divine tools could find him."

"Did you—"

"Coorin is alive as well." Cabba answered before Janola could finish the question. "The same problem with Asparus, but he is alive, that is for certain."

Janola's mood changed rather quickly, from a deeply concerned and frustrated mood to lighter one with his worries still present on his features even if to a lesser degree. But with his immediate concern out of the way, his gaze went back to his friend but with a new worry showing in his eyes.

"I heard some of it from Lettu…" He started as gently as he could and even then, he saw Cabba flinch at the words. "That bad?"

Cabba could do nothing but nod, a flicker of shame appearing on his features. "We almost killed each other… if Kefla didn't come when she did… maybe both of us would have died there."

"I don't get it. Why would you two jump at each other's throat like that?" Janola quirked his eyebrow up. "Was it because of… you know, her?"

One loud scoff escaped the young hero. "Anyone would imagine that the most fucked up thing would push us from that cliff, but no… The 'problem' with Kefla was much simpler to resolve." Cabba brought his mug to his lips, taking another sip from the hot liquid to try and clear the clouds over his head. "That sword, the one Asparus uses to teleport everywhere. That thing is not normal, that blasted weapon is messing with his head."

"The one displayed at the wall behind the throne?!" Janola almost jumped out from his seat, his eyes widening up quite a lot in his surprise. "Is it safe to keep that thing there? Wouldn't it mess with everyone's head?"

"It does nothing to us… at least I don't think it does." Cabba shrugged away, his calm response making Janola calm down too. "I tried to make it work a few times, spent more than enough time with it, and nothing. No whispers, no evil feelings, and no super silver power either."

"If you say so… at least we have one last thing to worry about." Even after breathing out in relief, Janola still kept his gaze on Cabba. "What about… you know."

"Kefla. You can say her name Janola, it's not cursed." Cabba growled quietly, this time swallowing half of the liquid in the mug in one shot, the strength of the taste, and how hot it is making him cringe and gasp. "She… I'm not gonna lie. These days have been a bit hard. At first, she was so shaken and angry that we could barely speak for more than a few minutes without her lashing out in some way. Now she is quiet most of the time and needy too. As much as I like the way she calms down with me, it feels almost eerie to have her acting that way."

"Because that is not how Caulifla is, right?" Janola added in, to which Cabba nodded in silence.

"Caulifla can be quiet too, at times." Cabba shuddered, his entire body shivering in place. "But whenever she is quiet like that… It's like the calm before the storm. You add Kale's somewhat unstable outbursts."

"I heard of them, never saw it. Almost thought Lettu was pulling my leg with that one. Lady Kale seems so reserved and calm all the time, hard to see her exploding with anger like that." Janola is not the only one to share this sentiment. Any other Saiyan, soldier or not, that hears the old stories about Kale thinks that the person telling them is nothing but a liar.

"It was before she married Asparus. She was quiet, way more than she is today. Kale used to bottle all her worries and fears deep inside of her to the point that she would snap and berserk out in violent outbursts." Once again Cabba shuddered in his seat. Just the memories of the first time that he saw Kale transform and lose it, he still has nightmares about that. "Don't even want to imagine what Kefla would do in one of those episodes."

Both soldiers became silent after that one. Cabba going back to scanning the papers in front of him and Janola brought his gaze down to the mug on his hand, now with the coffee lukewarm at best, there is little to no steam for him to focus on.

"Everything will be fine… right?" Janola lifted the question in the air, his gaze never moving from the black liquid.

"I don't know… no point throwing soft words anymore." Cabba frowned at his answer. It sounded like he was giving up, ceding to pressure. But that is far from the truth, the fact that he has holed himself in this office only proves how committed he is to fixing things up. "But I will give my everything to try and get things back to normal. Even if I have to die trying."

The half-Saiyan looked up towards his friend, a dumbfounded look in his face as he stared at Cabba. But quickly his surprised features warmed up into an agreeing grin. "Don't be stupid, little Cabba. Nothing can kill you, and if anything tries, they will have to get through me first."

A playful chuckled escaped the young hero. "Almost forgot your hero complex." Cabba teased his friend, this little jab directed not only at his friend's demeanor but also for his choice of clothing, more accurately to the very flash long coat he always wears when trying to show off.

"That bit lost its spark years ago… You're literally called the hero of Sadala now." Janola was quick to point out the irony of life. For so long Cabba and Coorin teased him about this hero complex thing, and Cabba was the one ending up being called a hero by everyone.

"Feel free to keep the nickname, I only want the special paycheck at the end of the month."

"Ha?! You get a special one?!" Now Janola properly jumped out from his chair, one arm shooting forward as he pointed one finger to the other man. "Never heard of that! What kind of schemes are you running in the background huh? That's called unfair favoritism."

For the first time in days Cabba laughed his worries away, he laughed so hard that his stomach started to hurt. Outraged at first, Janola could not help but laugh himself. It felt right, it felt nostalgic.

Just the two of them, two friends, laughing away with no worries to hold them back.

"CABBA!" A very distressed Lettu came crashing inside the room, his widened eyes scanning the room for his brother.

Both Cabba and Janola jolted up to her feet, instantly turning to look at the boy.

"Lettu! What happened?" Cabba rushed to his little brother, taking one hand to the small boy's shoulder.

"I-It's Cau… Kefla!" Lettu blurred out in panic. "She is out of control! If she keeps going like that, the entire palace will crumble to dust."

Both adults shared a worried look between each other, with Janola clearly in panic after hearing about Kale from Cabba, and Cabba looking even more tired than before.

"Take me to where she is." Cabba gave the order to his little brother. "This goddamned week just keeps getting worse."

* * *

From the office wing of the palace, no one could hear a bit of sound different from the usual serene silence of the long halls. But after getting to the large hall that makes the cross between wings and the echoes of the mayhem are already very present.

The sound of cracking stones, people screaming and the floor trembling. Cabba had to stop for a second, close his eyes and breathe deeply to remain calm and collected despite everything else happening around him.

Stepping inside the eye of the storm, or more accurately the throne room in the middle of the palace, Cabba witnessed with his own eyes the source of the rampage threatening to collapse the entire building.

Cabba stepped over to the middle of the giant room, Lettu and Janola standing right behind him. The only other ones with courage enough to still stand in the room are none other than the mother-queen Arula and her older brother Greeno.

"Kefla!" He yelled out her name, raising his voice so loud that his throat tingled with a pang of pain. "What… are you doing?"

The marble floor cracked with an explosive sound and a giant ball of dirt-filled dust flew up as a metallic object crashed harshly against the surface.

Cabba clicked his tongue and jumped forward, diving straight onto the raising smokescreen starting to spread to the entire room.

"Kefla!" He called out her name again.

"What?!" She replied with a loud and agitated tone, her eyes snapping onto him.

"This! What is this? You're scaring everyone." Ignoring the enrage look Kefla is giving him and everyone looking towards her, Cabba stepped forward and tapped her on the left arm. "Care to explain why are you tearing the palace down?"

"I ain't doing nothing to this stupid palace!" She spat out angrily again. Then her right arm shot right up, showing the long object she is holding in her hands. "Is this that I want to trash into bits! This damn thing, this… this piece of crap of a sword!" She yelled even louder than before, then took a long swing with her arm, smashing the tip of the Omega Blade against the already broken floor.

This, however, did nothing to even scratch the weapon. And with the force Kefla used to bash it against the ground, the entire palace began to shake and tremble.

"Kefla, stop it!" Cabba decided to be more affirmative in his tone, going as far as to grab Kefla's arm and make her look at him. "It's useless, you can't break that sword. I… tried it. Please, just stop this madness and let go of it."

Cabba's words resonated with her, or at least it looked that way as Kefla shifted her gaze down to the floor and lowered her right arm ever so slowly.

"I… I don't care!" Her ki exploded out from her body in a powerful aura, the pressure coming from her getting so big that a massive shockwave erupted in the room, cleaning all of the raising fog away. "No matter how hard it is, how durable this stupid thing may be… I WILL CRUSH THIS SWORD!" Forcefully pulling her arm away from his grasp, Kefla pushed Cabba away, giving her space to jump in the air and smack the side of the sword against one of the giant pillars scattered around the throne room.

They all witnessed in shock as Kefla continued to bash the sword from one place to the other, gathering her ki in her hands in an attempt to break the cursed object from within. At each strike she delivered against a wall or a pillar, her features grew more pained and desperate, to the point that a few tears began to gather at the side of her eyes.

"Bring him back!" She ordered in a powerful shout. "Make everything go back to the way it was!" She jumped to the middle of the room, throwing the sword on the floor and then diving with her feet at the side of its clean surface. "This is all your fault, everything! Asparus would never do those things, he…"

With her lips quivering, Kefla stopped with her fist trembling midair, her eyes closed with the emotional turmoil ravaging her mind.

Biting her lips in an explosion of anger, she shot her eyes wide open in a full heated glare towards the sword laying down on the floor. And at this moment, as if the weapon had a will of its own, the metallic surface of the sword glittered with a sparkling glow, shining a flash of light onto her face, almost in a show of mockery.

"GRAAAH! I WILL BREAK YOU!" Kefla raged in a full outburst. Her right fist, still trembling next to her, began to glow with a shining stream of red and green energy. Responding to her burning anger, her ki exploded in full force pushing her arm forward with more speed than it would normally move.

Gritting her teeth in the motion, Kefla unleashed a crushing ki-infused punch onto the godly sword. As her fist crashed against the weapon clean surface, a bright stream of silver light erupted from its blade, pushing and clashing against Kefla's duo-colored ki.

It last only for a few moments, a small dispute of power between her and the sword, a complete standstill as none of the two was caving in against the other. Then a violent explosion of light came to life, forming a spinning ball of energy that enveloped both Kefla and the sword.

Startled by the explosion, Cabba saw with widened eyes as the fused Saiyan-woman disappeared inside that ball of energy. With a stream of bad thoughts rushing to his head, the young Saiyan soldier moved in a rushed panic towards that stream of energy. After almost losing so much in such a small period, he could not risk losing her too, so without total disregard for his own safety Cabba jumped headfirst into the explosion.

As his voice gathered in his throat, as her name was forming at the tip of his tongue, two violent shockwaves exploded on opposite sides of one another. Two forms went flying away from the explosion and then the violent display of light ceased to exist.

The clinking of metal echoed in the silence as the Omega Blade fell to the floor again, its light quickly faded away and leaving behind only the clean surface of the weapon.

With mouth wide open, and falling to say anything past stuttering gibberish. Cabba looked to the side and saw the form of Kale lying on the floor. His eyes traveled to the other side and saw Caulifla lying down in the same position.

It felt surreal in every shape of the word. In one moment, he was racing onto an explosion to save Kefla and in the next, he is standing speechless in the middle of the room while looking at his wife and his friend.

"Ca..Cabba?" Caulifla called out his name, her eyes slowly opening up as she pulled herself into a sitting position. "What happened?"

"Caulifla…" His expression quickly warmed up, changing into the loving and calming look he always has when looking at his loved one. "You're back."

Seeing her again, just the act of looking at Caulifla's sharp and beautiful eyes. It melted away the pile of negative energy that was weighing at Cabba's back. He never felt tired of Caulifla, not once in all these years, but after 'losing' her even for just a week. It finally dawned on him how much she is important to him, how much of his life she is.

Now looking at her again, it's like his life is finally back to where it should be.

* * *

**\- Chapter End -**


	19. Chapter 19 - Chains From The Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball (Z/Super/GT) or its characters.**

* * *

**\- Chapter 19 -**

* * *

Holding a mug of hot tea in hands, Cabba is currently watching with attentive eyes as his wife is pacing from one side of the house to the other. In this mild amusement, he wonders what has come to the woman that barely gives any mind to the house's decoration and is now dragging all kinds of furniture from room to room.

Pulling a heavy padded-chair on her tail, Caulifla just noticed the stares she is getting from her husband. "Something on my face?" She asked with a slightly annoyed tone, promptly stopping in place, letting the furniture clinging sideways to her leg.

His eyes secretly wander towards her left ear, drawn by the subtle light coming from the sole Potara earring.

Even after they had defused back to being two separated people, Caulifla and Kale were not able to take the earrings off. They tried to rid themselves of the godly jewelry in a lot of different ways, but none came close to making the Potara budge.

Casually hiding his face behind the side of his mug, Cabba grunts a soft reply. "Just wondering what you're doing all of a sudden."

Caulifla looked deeply offended by that, for what, not even she knows. Now scowling for no reason, her eyes dance from one part of the living room to the other, secretly pondering what was the point of all this hassle she has been doing for over an hour now.

Quietly taking her eyes back to Cabba, Caulifla weights a few words over her mind. "I was just… Didn't the living room feel odd?" She asked him with uncertainty writing all over her face. "It is like something is wrong, out of place."

"Everything is just as it was the day you decided to fuse with Kale." Cabba replied with an accusatory tone, one that sounded way harsher than what he intended. "No one even came to the house, Caulifla. I left Cora with your parents and I… I slept in the office every night."

"No one?" Caulifla asked him, her eyes sparkling with sincere curiosity.

A stern frown robbed Cabba of his calm expressions. "Want to talk about it?" He proposed with a soft sigh. Seeing Caulifla shuffling her fingers in between each other, Cabba placed his mug on the small table in front of him and moved to the side, making enough space for Caulifla to take a seat at his large and comfy armchair.

At first, Caulifla just snorted at him and waved one hand in dismissal. Normally she would just toss a lazy pun at Cabba and go on with whatever business she had in mind. Today, however, she held little ground against the serious gaze her husband is giving her. Exhaling out in defeat, she slowly stepped over to him, sitting quietly by his side.

With the way the always loud and assertive Caulifla is acting, anyone would raise an eyebrow in suspicion, to Cabba this behavior is like a screaming alarm that is ringing loudly; something is wrong.

"Caulifla…" He whispered her name in a sweet tone, then acting with care around her odd mood, Cabba took her hand on his own, interlocking their fingers together. "Remember the day we went to that weird green planet, full of giant trees that went as high as the clouds in the sky?"

A playful chuckle escaped her, easing her nerves enough to push Caulifla to look at Cabba and smile. "Difficult to forget something like that. That was the day I learned that my sweet and innocent Cabba was not so innocent anymore." She tapped at his side with the tip of her elbow, giggling at the rush of red that instantly blushed her husband's cheek.

"Stop twisting history, Caulifla!" He cried out embarrassed. "I took you to that planet to train on a different landscape. The change in our schedule is entirely on you."

She laughed again, now poking his chest with one finger. "Taking a shy and impressionable girl to a barely lit cave, making our bodies get wet and hot in place so isolated… That doesn't sound like a training trip for me."

"Hah! Shy and impressionable girl?! Didn't know we took another girl with us to that planet." He squirmed to the left as she poked him on the side again. "That profile fits you as a shoe fits into a hand."

"Admit it. That's why you love me." She purred on his ear, her breath sending jolts all across his body.

"Wrong…" He whispered back, and even if his words made Caulifla look at him with a strange look, his tone still managed to soothe her worries away even before he continued. "There is so much more as to why I love you. So many words to describe how you make me feel. Caulifla, you are the only one for me. I truly can't see myself sharing my life with anyone other than you."

"Ohh… that's so sweet." To say that his words melted Caulifla into a puddle of giddiness at his side would not be an exaggeration. With the biggest grin ever showing on her lips she jumped onto him, grabbing his arm to let her pull him closer and plant a peck on his cheek. "Cabba… I also…"

There it comes again, the 'shy' side of the fearsome Caulifla. To a brazen woman like her who can talk dirty and spit the most outrageous insinuations under the prying ears of others, Caulifla always gets into a stuttering fit when Cabba pours his heart to her most in the sincerely and lovingly way possible.

And when this scenario comes about, Caulifla has only two routes to follow. One is to give in, bear the soft chuckles of her husband as she stutters a proper response with her cheeks burning red all the while. The second route she takes, and unfortunately for Cabba the one she has decided to take, is to turn the tables on him by making Cabba the one to fret with embarrassment.

"Anyone you say…" Caulifla's mood changed in one-eighty, the playful glint that flashed in her eyes made Cabba sweat drop in apprehension. "Funny thing you said there… what about those kissy-kiss you shared with some other strong and badass girl, huh?"

Instantly Cabba's right hand came flying to his face. "Why I knew you would bring this up?"

"Those were pretty hot kisses, weren't they?" Caulifla continued, twisting his arms even further on this. "Are you sure you didn't like that? I remember you looking super into it."

"Caulifla, please…" Cabba sighed heavily on this one. "That was… different and you know it. I did kiss Kefla and I wanted to do it. But I only did it because I saw you in her. Each time I held her in my arms, I was only thinking of you."

Raising his arms, Cabba turned to look at his wife. He turned to look at her straight in the eyes and convey his sincerity in all the ways he could. What he didn't expect was to see her smiling back at him, a sweet smile full of nothing but love.

"I know…" Caulifla replied. "I remember those kisses. How they felt, how I felt, and the way you looked at me." She leaned closer to Cabba and wrapped her arms around him.

"Caulifla…" A warm smile took over Cabba's expression. With his right hand, he began to stroke her hair. This moment right here feels like heaven to him, basking in her warmth, feeling his loved one so close to him.

"You know…" Cabba felt her voice echoing on his chest. "I remember kissing Asparus too."

And Cabba's sweet smile faded back into a thin line.

"What? You jealous?!" Caulifla chirped way too happy for Cabba's taste.

"Not really what I wanted to hear coming from your lips after you set the mood like that…." He grumbled his response back to her, his hand still working on the soft strokes in her hair.

"My Cabba is jealous, haha. So cute." Giggling away in her silliness, Caulifla began to tickle and poke Cabba at his belly, making his squirm around in the armchair.

"Cut it out… this is not that funny." He grumpily tried to stop the merciless wave of tickles, only to push his wife to go even harder at it.

After having enough fun by having him dancing around her fingers, quite literally, Caulifla stopped to give him a bright grin. "You know… I didn't say that with ill intent. I really remember kissing you and him." She said more seriously. "It's so weird. As Kefla I could see everything she saw. I could feel everything and every thought she had; it was like I was watching someone's life from their eyes."

"Then you're not completely Kefla?" Cabba asked. "I mean, when you are her, you still exist inside of her?"

"Yeah. I am there, but I am also her. So weird." She sighed calmly, pressing her cheeks against his firm and muscled belly. "Kale too…" Caulifla whispered that without much thought. "I could feel Kale too. Her thoughts and all."

"Like you could read her mind?" Cabba said.

"Hn…" Caulifla shook her head. "Like I could feel her thoughts like they were my own. I felt her worries about Asparus. I could see how odd he was behaving, even though I don't know him all that well. It was like I've known him for years… in an intimate way."

"In the way that Kale knows him." He pondered out loud, to which Caulifla nodded in reply.

"Cabba… I feel so sad for her, for them both." Rolling around the armchair, Caulifla laid sideways on his lap, giving Cabba a corned look. "I saw… her memories… I don't know if that is the right way to put it. But anyway, they are so far apart from each other even though they want nothing more than to be together. Every day they are busy with something else, at each night there is something in the way."

Cabba hummed quietly. "They are different than us. A King and a Queen are held to a lot of responsibilities that we don't have."

"I still don't like it!" She barked back in reprisal. "You don't get it Cabba. Even when they work out a day to spend it together, there is that crazy mother-in-law of hers that always gets in the way." Now Caulifla was practically punching the air in indignation. "Is like that woman gets a kick in tormenting Asparus. She always pulls Kale around and makes weird-ass schemes to pranks him. What's wrong with her?"

"I feel you Caulifla, but this has nothing to do with us."

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN WITHOUT SEX?!" She jumped out from his lap, giving him a stern glare.

"T-That is really not our business." Cabba grew a bit red in the cheeks, as he drifted his gaze to the side trying to avert his thoughts away from such a topic.

"That is my business! Kale is my best friend." Caulifla puffed her chest out, pushing her point of view quite fervently towards her husband. "Want to hear something that will rock your world and shatter your expectation?" She asked with a teasing tone.

That invitation felt way too much of a trap, even more so when Caulifla gives him that taunting gaze of hers. But as Cabba has learned years ago, there is not circling around his wife when she gets like this. "Sure… why not?"

"Remember how thirsty and handsy Kefla was with you and Asparus?" Her hands going to her waist as she waited for Cabba to process her words. "That was all Kale. It was Kale's pent up desires that ended up pushing us to go all out on you two."

Mouth wide open and eyes startled as they can get. Cabba is looking at his wife as if she has grown a second head. "Hah! Now you're just pulling my leg."

"No, honey. I am not." She smiled at him and when Cabba's hand went to his face again, Caulifla just laughed away. "See why I am this pissed off with that? I want to do something about it… I can't even imagine my life if we had to go that long without any action."

"You want to do something about it?" A soft chuckle escaped Cabba, and while he had no intention of mocking her noble intentions, it didn't help to keep her from glaring at him. "Hey, I am on your side on this." He raised both hands in the air trying to calm her down a bit. "What's the big plan?"

"What you think?!" She spat her response with a wicked grin. "As soon as we get him back, we lock them inside a room and then just let the passion flow. I call it the love heist!"

"Bhahahaha! A love heist?" After his first bombastic reaction, Cabba fell into a fit of laughter again. His way too energic reaction making Caulifla pout and punch him in the arm. "By the gods, how I love your imagination."

"Hey! Stop laughing at me." She pouted even harder. "I am super serious about this."

"Haha… I know, love… I know. When the time comes, I will help you snatch Asparus away from his mother and lock him up whatever you want them to be."

The Cabba from his younger days would just stop here and stare at Caulifla, to be able to just look at that beautiful girl was enough to make his day perfect. Now the more mature Cabba, the one that has spent so many great experiences with this wonderful woman, knows that this moment is just the start for him. The start for something better.

"However… we will have to leave that for later." He leaned closer to her, bruising his lips over the soft skin of her neck. "Still… there's one thing that I can do now." Taking her with one arm, Cabba pulled Caulifla closer to him, letting him plant kiss after kiss in a long line towards her earlobe. "One thing that you will like… I will make sure of it." Pressing his lips against her ear, he moved carefully around the Potara earring, giving her a careful and loving bite.

With her husband kissing her silly with his provocations, Caulifla was left a giggling mess. "Will you steal me away?" She purred back at him, her eyes now passionate and super focused on his strong facial features.

"That's my plan." With a quick movement, Cabba grabbed Caulifla in his arms, taking her in bridal style. "Our very own love heist." He grinned at her.

Caulifla was left with nothing but a seductive smirk on her lips. Seeing as how much she likes being the one in control, the one reigning over Cabba with her alluring skills, she finds appealing the idea of having Cabba fully in control for this one time.

Like a defenseless damsel being robbed away, she laid back against his strong arms, letting Cabba carry her upstairs towards their room. And in the way to their love suite, her eyes stumbled upon the numerous changes she did to the hallway, the many things she moved around in the angst rampage she was having just earlier.

Now, carried on the arms of the man she loves, Caulifla can only chuckle at her silliness from before.

He loves her, he will always love her. And nothing will ever change that. No one can steal his heart away, not even a different version of her.

* * *

A few hours ago, Cabba thought he knew how much he missed his wife, how he longed for her touch and warmth.

How wrong he was about that.

Taking Caulifla in his arms again, having his hands caressing her body in every intimate touch possible. It felt like a whole new experience again, as if they were drinking from each other's presence for the first time.

The more they loved each other, the more they thirsted for this love. They went overboard, going again and again. Even as the fatigue was starting to set in, they were still exploring each other, taking every bit of pleasure that they could.

After such a passionate exchange between the young couple, they lay on top of each other, Caulifla resting with her head against his chest. Both sleeping calmly and dreaming about their love session that drained them away of their energies.

With Caulifla's names at the tip of his tongue, the young Saiyan hero is resting with the biggest smile on his lips.

That was until a gush of wind erupted inside the quiet bedroom. The sound of it alone startling Cabba awake, forcing him to open his eyes wide open and raise his fists in self-defense.

His vision clouded by the blurriness of sleep; he scanned his bedroom with attentive eyes. Yet nothing came to view, only the dancing shadows of the trees basking under the moonlight on the other side of the window.

Then, his gaze drifted to the side. Blurred as his eyes may be, his sight perfectly settled on the form of the sleeping woman at his side.

It was hard for Cabba to contain his smile. He had more than an hour of Caulifla, more than an hour of making love, yet his body aches in wanton. Sliding quietly to the side, he approached his wife with one hand going over to her.

This daring hand went to her arm, then it slides down to her waist. Pulling himself closer to the woman at his side, Cabba pressed his nose to her hair, the flowery scent overwhelming his senses, making him even more aroused for her.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He asked himself in a whisper.

His lips quickly moving forward, grazing the soft skin of her neck. One long kiss and them a soft quick one. This was his way of waking her up without risking her ire, trying to sweet her up with caresses and kisses so she would turn to him and continue on her own volition.

"I love you…" He whispered against her ear, his lips touching the shining earring. "Gods, how I love you."

Left unguarded, his rogue hand continued down on its path. Its moving fingers making deep lines in their touch, marking the sun-kissed skin as they moved down and down. Getting somewhat impatient as his wife refuses to wake up with his touch, Cabba tried a more assertive approach.

With a powerful grip, he took her left buttock in a hungry grasp.

"Hm…" She moaned quietly, the sound of the sweet voice flowing out with pleasure making Cabba even more heated. "Asparus…"

The hand stopped moving, its fingers still deeply pressed against her skin. Hearing his friend's name in this situation brought a very sour taste to his mouth, one that killed Cabba's mood practically instantly.

"Why are you calling his na—" His mouth froze into an ice-form, his tongue stuck mid-sentence.

"Cabba…?" She said his name in great confusion. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Ka-Ka-KALE?!" Cabba went flying from the bed to the wall in the matter of a second. His heart almost jumping out his chest, his breathing getting as fast as it could be. "What?! When? What are you doing in my bed?!" He cried out in panic.

Rubbing her eyes with the grogginess of sleep, Kale sat down on the bed, getting right under the bright moonlight coming from the window. This only served to further Cabba's panic, for his friend is not only sitting on his bed, but she is also wearing her very thin layered sleepwear.

A very detailed and mature-looking black nightgown adorns her firm and lean body, its silky fabric hugs her skin tightly, firming even more her dazzling curves.

This right in front of him is Kale, his longtime friend, and his queen. Where once he only saw the shy and timid girl, Cabba is now seeing a new side of her and the only question screaming inside his head is; when did Kale become so goddamn sexy.

'Bad Cabba, Bad Cabba!' He shook his head fervently, desperately trying to push his gaze away from her. 'She is your best friend's wife. She is your wife's best friend. Where are you looking at?!'

"O-Oi… If this is one of your pranks, this is not funny. Caulifla!" Bouncing his gaze from one side to the other, Cabba is looking everywhere for his wife. He can already picture her hiding somewhere while snuffing a fit of giggles with her hands.

"Sis…?" Kale followed his eyes, getting more confused by the minute. "Huh? Where are we?" She asked in a mild panic, her sight finally shaking the blurriness from sleep and failing to recognize the walls around her. "Cabba… you're scaring me here."

"Wait… you're not in some sort of joke with Caulifla?" His puffing nostrils became a lot calmer, his expression getting a bit more worried and pensive.

Growing very wary of the lack of clothes covering her skin, Kale raised her arms to shield her breasts and pulled her legs together to hide her panties.

Seeing her uneasiness made Cabba shift his gaze to the side, feeling even more guilty for ogling her just now. "Anyway… how did you get here? Where is Caulifla?"

"I-I was sleeping in my bed until now... I don't know what happened." As Kale lowered her head in embarrassment, the small orb of her earring coming in contact with the dim moonlight, reflecting a tiny shine of light across the room.

This small ray of light caught Cabba's attention, forcing his eyes back to Kale. Even if he was very aware of their position now, it was a good thing that his eyes traveled back towards her.

"Kale!" He exclaimed loudly. "How did you move your Potara?" He pointed to the godly earring that once was sitting on her right ear and it is now on the same side as the one with Caulifla.

A soft gasp escaped the young queen, her left hand shooting up to check her right ear. As her fingers touched the base of her earlobe, finding nothing hanging down in the air, a second gasp escaped her lips. "I didn't!" She burbled out. "It was here when I went to sleep. It was right—" Then her right hand went to her left ear and it touched the cold piece of jewelry. "How…?"

Staring intently onto the Potara, Cabba's expression grew a lot colder and serious. For someone as sharp as him, took little pondering to come up with an idea to all of this, for why Kale is sitting right here in his bed with her earring sitting on the opposite ear. "It didn't end, did it?" He calmly said, getting Kale's attention back onto him. "The Potara fusion it's still working somehow, that's the only way to explain this. Even with you two separated, they are still affecting you."

"You think… that Kefla is trying to come back?" Kale's voice came out tremulous. The light in her eyes carrying the same conflicted look to it as Caulifla had in hers earlier today.

"Dunno…" He replied in the sincerest way he could. There is no way anyone could know; all of this is so out of their imagination. "I will give a guess and say that right now Caulifla is probably sleeping in your bed." A long sigh slipped by his lips. "Our guest room is clean and ready for use. You can stay there for the night" Cabba offered one hand to his friend. "Let us at least sleep until the morning. Tomorrow we can try and properly solve this mess."

A wild scenario ran through Cabba's mind. He imagined if he tried to return Kale to the royal palace, with the Saiyan queen in her nightgown and him right at her side while her husband is missing. A cold shiver ran across his body in a violent outburst. If he could survive the people at the palace, he would probably get lynched by the entire planet's population for daring to lay his hands on their beloved Lady Kale.

"In a way… I am happy for being here now." Kale said in a shy way, the same way she used to speak with Cabba years ago. "I wanted to talk alone with you."

Poor Cabba had to swallow very hard down his throat. Punching a constant reminding in his head that this is HIS FRIEND, he wore a poker-face and smiled friendly to Kale.

"We are here now." He said simply. "Anything weighing on your mind?"

Then Kale's shy behavior died out. Her expression changed to the confident and sure person that she has become over the years. "I will overrule Asparus' orders tomorrow." She stated as a matter of fact. "I will send every ship and every squad across the universe. From tomorrow onwards, we will hunt them down."

The neutral features on the Saiyan hero's face changed to a more severe one. In an automatic reaction, he frowned down at Kale. "Oi, oi… do you understand what you're saying there, Kale?" He replied with a reprimanding tone. "That is an act of aggression."

She scoffed at his reasoning, her features growing colder in reaction. "They started a war against us… this is retaliation!" Her explanation did little to diminish the frown at her friend's face. "I had enough of cowering in our planet while they do everything they want out there."

"Kale is not like we did nothing this entire time." Cabba tried to reason. "Both Asparus and I, we have been working day in and day out to figure out a way to resolve this."

"You are my friend, Cabba… You are Asparus' best friend... I want you to lead our forces against them." She forced back. "If they have him… Cabba, if they got Asparus…"

"Then we will get him back. Have a little faith in him." A friendly grin flashed on his lips, but it had little impact on the worried woman. "You know how strong he is, don't you?"

"Cabba…" Kale gave him a small smile. "You know nothing about him… not like I do. He still has scars from those days." Hugging her legs close to her chest, Kale averted her gaze to the side, getting a distant look to her eyes. "There are days that Asparus wakes up sweating, breathing so hard… he has nightmares of the day he was tortured, his mind being twisted by those villains."

"Kale…"

"What would you do if Caulifla was the one in his place, huh?" She spat the words at him almost in an accusatory way. "If they do that to him again, I don't even want to imagine it." A few droplets came running down Kale's cheeks, her eyes glistening with tears. "Please, Cabba… If not for me. Please do this for him. I want him back. I want my husband baaaack."

Kale broke down in tears, her voice echoing inside the room, her pained cries filling the space between her and Cabba. With the strings of his heart pulling heavily on him, Cabba could only walk forward and pull Kale into a firm embrace.

"I get it, Kale…" He whispered to her, his chin resting against her head. "For now… just go to sleep. We will sort everything tomorrow. I promise you; we will fix everything."

With his friend clinging to him in a desperate struggle to find one light of hope in this turmoil that is her life right now, Cabba allowed himself to be all the support that Kale needs. Letting her tears roll down his chest, Cabba took to him every crying sound coming from her. It felt like punishment for failing again, but more than anything, he is taking her pain as his own to remind him of his duty, of what needs to be done.

No matter what, he will see this through. At this point, if these Tuffles want to wage war against the universe.

They will have a war.

* * *

Within a cold and bottomless dark, Asparus slowly stirs up from his slumber. His body feels so heavy, like its chained to a giant boulder. Tightly pressed onto the hardest surfaces, with his arms and legs tied in an unbreakable bond. Just the act of breathing is so hard and punishing as if his chest was split open and then stitched back together in a poor attempt to make him whole again.

Forcing his eyes open, Asparus tried to escape from the suffocating feeling that is trying to take his consciousness away, this was a bigger mistake than he could ever anticipate. Laid bare in front of his eyes is nothing but an endless expansive background painted in light blue. The ground is made of water and the air is filled by a dense white fog.

"Whe—" As his lips parted away to try and speak, the scar in his cheek flared up in searing pain. The marked skin getting bright red just like in the day it was burned on his flesh. Trying desperately to push the mind-numbing sensation away with his hands, Asparus tried to reach out and touch it, just to find his arms firmly stuck in place by ridiculously large metal chains, these evil bindings tying him up against a giant stone right behind him.

"Anyone there… Gaarhh!" Once more his scar flared up wildly with its red color, and every time he tries to speak up the pain gets worse and worse.

By this point Asparus is growing dangerous erratic, his breathing getting out of form and his heart beating out of control. Just the landscape itself is enough to push his mind to the limit of comprehension, it feels wrong and alien to his every senses.

"Tch… back in chains again, huh?" A still voice ringed from up ahead, its source concealed behind the dense curtain of fog.

"Who is ther—Aaaarggh!" He cried out loudly in pain as his scar reminded him of the unspoken rule of this place.

A pair of red eyes flashed from behind the dense white, its piercing gaze firmly fixated on the young king's form. "There is something funny about fate, isn't there?" The voice said with a taunting glee. "For someone that struggled so much with bonds and the metaphorical chains that hold you back… you always find a way to get yourself imprisoned with actual cuffs."

Something about this voice is eerie familiar to him. It rings in an evil tune just like the twisted voice that torments his memories. It's cheer malice bringing about the worst reaction from the young king, traumas he had once thought forgotten.

Sinking his teeth deep on the skin of his lower lip, Asparus glared with a burning ire towards those eyes. "REVEAL YOURSELF!" He managed to roar past the pain. "Show your face, coward. Are you so brave to mock me behind that fog? To taunt me with these chains holding me back? Why won't you try and do it to my face."

Asparus' voice echoed endlessly within the silence that followed his outburst. The thing behind the fog looking impassive and collect, for then to it to burst into a maniacal fit of laughter. "That is the look befitting a king!" The voice commended, a strange pride ringing between its mockery. "You want to see my face, oh brave king? Hah, so be it!"

The sound of steps came to life from behind those curtains. Heavy boots crashing on the watery surface, making waves across the strange floor, bringing in a piece of rhythmic music that sounds both soothing and terrifying.

Then from behind the fog, those red eyes took shape, a face came forward and a wicked grin greeted the young king in an impossible view.

"Handsome, isn't it?" The voice said. "The face, that is."

Asparus' voice died in his throat. His onyx-colored eyes are quivering in confusion, his mouth opening and closing without a purpose.

The voice, those red eyes… They belong to someone looking exactly like him. From the hair, to the scar, and even to his mannerism of crossing both arms against his chest. A single glance is enough for him to attest that this person standing in front of him is Asparus himself. But that is impossible unless he has lost grasp of his mind already.

"What… are you?" He asked with a stuttering voice, shocked to the core with the sight in front of him.

"Eh? Can't you tell?" His doppelganger replied with a crooked smirk. "Ah… whatever then." Taking form-perfect steps forward, this red-eyed version of him marched closer to him. Getting close enough to stand mere inches away from Asparus. Raising his right arm, this stranger brought his hand to Asparus, poking at his chest with one finger. "I am you."

"R-Ridiculous!" Asparus spat angrily again. "Henkanegi! That is you again, isn't it?! I don't know how the hell you survived, but I will—"

"Stop right there, champ." The red-eyed Asparus raised his fingers and pressed them against his other self's lips. "Don't compare me to that insignificant goon. I take quite a huge offense to that; I have you know."

"Then what—HGGGNNAAAH!" His voice exploded out in a deafening scream, the pain that was once contained to his scar is now spreading all over his body like living fire.

"Stop wasting words with stupid questions, idiot." Moving his hand further in, the doppelganger wrapped his arms around Asparus' neck, clinging on to him with complete intimacy as if they were close friends. "Told ya already. I am you and no amount of grunts and complaints will change that." Another smirk crossed the red-eyed man's lips. "Brooding all those feelings inside yourself. Locking your full potential behind useless moralism and a stupid sense of justice. Bah! What did you expect to happen? Those urges you have, those burning desires to lash out and conquer everything… Do you really think that bottling it all up inside your chest would get rid of it?"

"I… have no such desires…" Asparus replied with a trembling voice, his breathing getting worse with each wave of pain trying to crush his senses.

"Hm… I guess that's true." A smacking sound echoed in the blue horizon. The doppelganger gave Asparus a playful slap at his back. "Those dreams are mine now."

Reacting to the malicious tone of his voice, this strange world began to shake and twist. What was first the lingering sound of his last word, is slowly changing into a thunderous clap. This chain of events unleashed the end of this place as it were to Asparus' eyes.

But to put more accurately, the darkness lurking at the side of his sight is the thing overwhelming his vision. The pain numbing away to be a little more than an annoyance at the back of his head, the tight chains holding him in place changing to a lighter pull at his wrists. Slowly the world started to be unmade, consumed be the void that was sucking Asparus away.

Just as he was fading away from this ominous place, a firm hand grabbed him by the neck, almost taking all the air away from him.

"I want you to remember this, me." The doppelganger, now back to being only a pair of red-eyes within the darkness, snarled at him. "No matter how much you try to deny me. For how long you try to flee. I will always be inside of you. Waiting, counting the days until I will break free and take everything into my hands."

"N-Never…" Asparus tried to fight back, only to have those evil fingers press even further into his neck, forcing him to gasp in pain.

"You can't run away from what you are… Soon, the entire universe will learn that." Slowly the hand lifted the unbearable pressure away from his neck, leaving only the lingering burning sensation of its imprint. "They will fear us or they will die."

An echoing stream of laughter exploded in the air, overwhelming and full of insanity in its form. It continued to ring and ring until it finally disappeared into nothing, together with everything that made that strange world.

Jolting forward in a panic attack, Asparus screamed himself awake. His heart beating so fast that it echoes inside his eardrums. In a frantic terror, his eyes scan his surroundings, trying to find any trace of the experience he just had but only finding a dark room with a few electronics beeping at the side.

"Gah… where… where I am?" With a slight movement of his arm, Asparus noticed two sets of cuffs holding him against the strange bed he is lying on. Instantly his instincts kicked in, an uncontrollable rush of fear pushing him to the edge.

Pulling his arms with all his strength, he tried to break free of his chains, but it didn't budge. Getting more and more erratic, he gathered all the ki he could, only to find out that his ki was not responding to him, leaving him as weak as an infant.

"Not again…. I WILL NOT BE CHAINED AGAIN!" Roaring like a mad man, Asparus searched inside of him for his power. He called out to it in full desperation, clinging to any bit of ki he could find. Then a storm of silver light exploded from him, painting his hair in white color, burning the room with its violent energy.

However, just as violent as this outburst came to life, it then faded back to nothing.

"You better chill out there, buddy!" A shaky voice called to him from the side, making Asparus shoot his eyes towards it.

There he found a teenage boy with lavender hair, glaring at him with both hands pointing to his direction.

"Release me…" Asparus growled, and it was not a suggestion.

"Hah, Yeah. Like I would set you free just for you to wreak havoc everywhere." The boy replied in defiance, despite the shaky look he has.

"RELEASE ME AT ONCE, BOY!" The Saiyan king barked in rage, his silver ki exploding in a blaze again then dying out to nothing once more. Pushing his arms in a frenzy, Asparus tried with all his might to snap the cuffs open, and even as they refused to give away he continued to pull.

In his desperate struggle, lines of blood began to run down from his wrists, the metallic cuffs pushing against his flesh, cutting onto him as a response to his forceful pulls.

"Dude, seriously. You better calm down or I will knock you out." The boy's hands began to glow with a yellow light. Whoever he is, he can draw and use ki as any other experienced fighter.

From behind the open door came the sound of rushing heels, someone sprinting inside the room after the sudden commotion. "Trunks!" The voice of a woman called out for the teenager. "Take the cuffs out from him."

"Mom?! Don't even joke about that!" Trunks replied with a worried voice. "If you only could feel how much ki this guy has… he is definitely bad news."

"Stop arguing and do as I tell you to." Slapping her son in the back of the head, Bulma hissed at him and pushed him forward. "He is not evil; I know that." She said with a friendly smile, then turning her eyes to Asparus her expression turned into a remorseful one, probably for having him chained against a bed. "This is probably not the best introduction. But welcome to Earth."

Asparus studied with a calmer expression as Trunks walked over to him, the boy watching him with wary eyes as he came over to take off the cuffs. "Earth…" The young king whispered to himself. Taking a closer look at the woman in front of him, his confusion died out even if a little. Then a surge of frustration came about him. "How in the gods' name I got here?"

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**\- Chapter End -**

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_**Reviews:**_

_**VcArchangel**_ chapter 18 . Jul 8 – Thank you very much for the review. In a way, this chapter only exists because I read your comment. I would have skipped away for another point of the story, but I got reminded of the importance of the small moments.

Normally I reply very directly to reviews, but you can say that this chapter is my entire response to yours.


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